Depths of the Heart
by mizu-no-hime
Summary: When Ash travels back to Kanto for the summer, he reunites with an old friend. Please, R&R! Rated M for violence, language, and sexual content in later chapters.
1. Author's Note

**Author's Notes**

**This is my first fanfiction, so please bear with me.**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, Pokemon does not belong to me. Pokemon belongs to Satoshi Tajiri, Tsunekazu Ishihara, Kunihiko Yuyama, Junichi Masuda, Ken Sugimori, Takeshi Honda, and the zillions of other awesome people who have been involved in such a wonderful masterpiece.**

**Pokemon 1995-2007 Nintendo / Creatures Inc. / GAME FREAK Inc. / Shogakukan / OLM / Pokemon USA / TAJ / The Pokemon Company. **

**Warning: This dramatic, heart wrenching story contains graphic violence, language, and strong sexual content. Therefore, it is most suitable for people ages 17 and up. **

**SPOILERALERT: Only read here if you want to know the shippings in this story. **

**Ash x Misty (Pokeshipping)**

**Delia x Professor Oak (Eldershipping)**

**Pikachu x Togepi (Kawaiishipping)**

**...And suggested Gary x Misty (Egoshipping) in later chapters. **

**Please read my story and review! I will be very grateful. Thank you!**

**8/13/2007: **

**This story is now complete, but I will be going into editing stage. I'm going to mainly fix up grammatical/spelling errors, but I'm also going to shape my story more and add some things that I've been wanting to add from the beginning that I didn't, etc. I don't know when I'll be going into editing, but it will probably be in a month or so. College is really going to be busy for me as a biochem major (x.x)... So, uh, thanks for your patience!**

**Oh, also... I'm going to be drawing some fanart associated with this fanfiction... So, if you want to check it out, just look up my username, mizu-no-hime on deviantart. **

**Thanks!!! **

**...Here's a song that I dedicate to AAML and that I think, really follows what I portrayed in the fanfiction. **

**The Japanese Lyrics are first, followed by the English translation of that stanza, and then the next stanza, and then the next translation, and so on... yadda yadda yadda. **

**ETERNAL SNOW - Changin' My Life (From the Anime "Full Moon wo Sagashite"**

**(Lyrics are from wo suki ni natte Dorekurai tatsu no kana? **

**Kimochi Fukurande yuku bakari de**

**Kimi wa Kono omoi kidzuiteiru no kana?**

**Ichido mo kotoba ni wa Shitenai kedo**

**I'm falling in love with you, and which will come to pass?**

**Will the feeling do nothing but swell, or**

**Will you notice it**

**Even though I've never said anything?**

**Yuki no youni Tada shizukani**

**Furitsumori Tsudzukete yuku**

**Like snow, but quietly**

**It continues to pile up**

**Hold me tight Konna omoi nara**

**Dareka wo suki ni naru kimochi**

**Shiritaku Nakatta yo**

**I love you Namida tomaranai**

**Konnan ja Kimi no koto**

**Shirazuni ireba Yokatta yo**

**Hold me tight if I think like this**

**I didn't want to know**

**What it was like to fall in love with someone**

**I love you; my tears won't stop**

**Therefore, I should be free of you**

**Kimi wo itsumade omotteiru no kana?**

**Tameiki ga mado garasu Kumoraseta**

**How long will I keep thinking of you?**

**My sigh makes the window glass fog up**

**Yureru kokoro Tomosu kyandoru de**

**Ima Tokashite Yukenai kana?**

**Now, a burning candle**

**Can't melt my shaking heart anymore?**

**Hold me tight Oreru hodo tsuyoku**

**Kogarashi Fubuki ni deatte mo**

**Samukunai youni to**

**I miss you Kimi wo omou tabi**

**Amikake no Kono mafuraa**

**Konya mo hitori Dakishimeru yo**

**Hold me tight, strong enough to break me**

**If we meet in a biting cold blizzard**

**I won't feel cold, and**

**I miss you everytime I think of you**

**This scarf that I knit for you**

**I'm holding it alone tonight**

**Eien ni furu yukiga aru nara**

**Kimi he to tsudzuku kono omoi Kakuseru no kana?**

**If there were an eternally falling snow**

**This feeling I have for you, could I hide it?**

**Hold me tight Konna omoi nara**

**Dareka wo suki ni naru kimochi**

**Shiritaku Nakatta yo**

**I love you Mune ni komiageru**

**Fuyuzora ni sakebitai**

**Ima sugu kimi ni Aitai yo**

**Hold me tight if I think like this**

**I didn't want to know**

**What it was like to fall in love with someone**

**I love you; my chest fills up**

**I want to cry out to the winter sky**

**I want to see you now**

**Copyright - Changin' My Life **

**I found that song on an AAML video from youtube. Just type in "Eternal Snow" and "AAML" into the search box and the first one that comes up is it. (note: this video is in no way mine!) ... It's a beautiful song and video. ; **

**Anyway, I think that's all for now!! Thanks! **


	2. Prologue

**Somewhere Only We Know - KEANE**

"I walked across an empty land,  
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand.  
I felt the earth beneath my feet,  
Sat by the river and it made me complete.  
Oh, simple thing, where have you gone?  
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on.  
So tell me when you're gonna let me in,  
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin.

I came across a fallen tree,  
I felt the branches of it looking at me  
Is this the place we used to love?  
Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?

Oh, simple thing, where have you gone?  
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on.  
So tell me when you're gonna let me in,  
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin.

And if you have a minute why don't we go,  
Talk about it somewhere only we know?  
This could be the end of everything.  
So why don't we go, somewhere only we know,  
Somewhere only we know.

Oh, simple thing, where have you gone?  
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on.  
So, tell me when you're gonna let me in...  
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin.  
And if you have a minute why don't we go,  
Talk about it somewhere only we know?  
This could be the end of everything.  
So why don't we go, so why don't we go...

Hmmm... Ohhhh...

This could be the end of everything.  
So why don't we go, somewhere only we know.  
Somewhere only we know?  
Somewhere only we know."

**Copyright - Keane. "Somewhere Only We Know." Hopes and Fears. 2004. **


	3. Home Is Where The Heart Is

**Back Home**

It was a beautiful morning in Lilycove City. Sun blazing brightly, waves crashing in; the weather couldn't be any better. Basking in the atmosphere's warmth, Ash, Brock, May and Max were walking through Lilycove's streets, looking for the Pokemon center. Once they arrived, they were surprised that the center was very busy, since it was such a wondrous day outside.

"Hah, there must be a Pokemon epidemic going around." Brock said. "Look at all of the people here."

May looked around with her large blue eyes. She noticed a long line at the front desk of about ten people and nodded, agreeing with Brock. "Yeah, Ash… if you're going to wait in that line just to heal your Pokemon, we should just go to a store to get some medicine." She suggested.

Ash blinked at May. "I didn't come here to heal my Pokemon. They're fine. I came to call my mom." he said.

"Oh." May responded. "Aww, Ash needs to call his mom. How cute!" She teased.

"Shush up." Ash growled. "Professor Oak told me that she wanted to ask me something when I talked to him the other day. That's why I'm gonna call her."

"Uh huh... Are you sure it's not just because you miss your mommy?" May asked.

"Yeah." Ash rolled his eyes and walked over to one of the video phones that was on the wall. Brock, May, and Max followed behind him. Once he picked it up, he punched in the numbers and then sighed, wondering about what his mother wanted to ask. After a few moments, someone finally picked up.

"Hello?" asked a woman's voice.

"Hi there, Mom." Ash said when his mother, Delia Ketchum, answered the phone.

After a few seconds, Delia's picture showed up on the video phone. A very bright smile was on her face and her long brown hair was down and hung beside her soft, pink cheeks.

"Ash! How is everything? Where are you now?" Delia asked, being the perfect example of a curious mother.

Ash chuckled slightly in embarrassment, since she was being all bouncy while his friends were watching. "I'm just fine. We're in Lilycove City right now...That's why it's so crowded here." Pikachu, who was sitting on Ash's shoulder as usual, greeted Delia by excitedly saying "Pika!" and raising its paw.

"Oh, that's just wonderful! Pikachu seems to be great, too. Um..." Delia paused and the smile on her face slowly diminished into a slight frown. After a few moments of contemplating something, Delia decided to say that was on her mind. "Uh...Ash, I need to ask you a favor."

Blinking at the sudden change in his mother's mood, Ash stood up straight and looked back at May, Brock, and Max in worry. Understandingly, they walked away and went to go sit down on the sofa that was across the crowded room.

"What's wrong, Mom?" Ash asked monotonously. Nervously, Ash scratched the side of his head.

"Well, Ash… I know that you're not going to like this, but…" Delia paused for a moment, shifting her large, brown eyes downward. "Well, Professor Oak and I are really wanting to go on a research trip together in Shinou that's going to last for the summer, and… I really need you to come back home for a while to take care of the house and...watch over Mimey."

Very surprised that his mother would ask him to take time out of his Pokemon journey, Ash bit his lip and thought for a moment about What everyone's plans for the summer were. He knew that he had to train for the Hoenn League Championships...And he knew that Brock, May, and Max all had their separate plans, so he really didn't see anything wrong with going back to Kanto. Training in Kanto would be just as good as in Hoenn. After all, he knew a lot of trainers back in Hoenn that he hadn't seen for a while. Going back to Kanto would probably be very beneficial to him.

"Yeah… I think I can do that, I guess" Ash responded.

Delia looked incredibly surprised at his reaction and her chocolate eyes widened. "Really, Ash?"

"Yeah, I should come back home anyway. I just earned my eight badge last week from Sootopolis and I want to come home to train my Pokemon for the Hoenn League Championships." Ash said, stroking Pikachu's side.

"Oh! This is so great!" Delia clapped her hands in joy. "But hey...Ash... what about May, Brock, and Max?"

"Oh, don't worry about them. They've got their own plans for the summer. Brock's going to a camp over the summer in Celadon for pokemon breeding and May and Max are going on a vacation with their parents to Johto."

Delia smiled at Ash softly and shook her head. "You're such a nice son, Ash." Delia complimented.

"When do you want me there by?" Ash asked. "I can be there by tomorrow at the earliest because the ship takes a while to get there."

"Tomorrow would be awesome! Then, maybe, we'll get to spend some time together before I go." Delia said.

"Okay. Well, I'll try to get there by tomorrow." Ash nodded. "Keep the front door open just in case I get there while you're not home."

"Okay, sweety. I'll see you soon!"

Hanging up the phone slowly, Ash turned and walked toward his friends, who got up from their seat once he was finished. "What's the matter?" May asked.

"Well, my mother needs me to go back home to watch over Mimey and the house." Ash replied. "She's going on a trip to Shinou with Professor Oak."

May blinked in surprise. "Oh, I see...We're all going our separate ways for the summer then." May said. She noticed that Ash seemed slightly saddened. "It's okay, though. It's only a few months."

"Well, if you guys weren't going to leave, then I wouldn't have agreed to leave either." Ash mumbled. "I just know that I don't want to be by myself while I'm training for the Hoenn League... But, I do know a lot of people back in Kanto that will be up for a challenge. I haven't been back there in years."

Brock smiled and set his hand on Ash's shoulder. "Then, it's good that you're going back. I'm sure that you'll be able to train a lot better in Kanto than here because you'll be closer to home, so you can spend more of your time training your Pokemon." Brock said encouragingly.

"I suppose so." Ash said.

"Yeah. And, maybe you'll meet up with Misty back in Kanto. She'd be good to train against since you two fight all the time. Gary too." Brock laughed.

"That's not true!" Ash said. He was embarrassed that Brock had brought up his younger days around May and Max. "I'll have no time to fight. I'm gonna' train so hard that I'll zip through the Hoenn League like a raging Rapidash!"

"There's his big head again." May said, shaking her head.

"Well, good luck with training your Pokemon Ash. Just remember everything you've learned over the years." Brock said.

Max smiled at Ash and tugged on his over-shirt. "Whatever you do, remember to bring back pictures of some cool Kanto Pokemon."

"Yeah." May added. "And don't forget to invite us to the championships after you're done."

"Oh, I won't! And I'm going to be a lot more pumped up when I get back. You just wait and see. There's no way I'll let you guys miss it." Ash clenched his fists in confidence. Pikachu seemed just as joyous as Ash did, shifting its ears back in courage.

After a few moments of daydreaming about the Hoenn League, Ash shook his head and his eyes glanced over to the clock. "Oh, goodness. If I want to start training, I better head over to Kanto, now!" Looking upward, Ash smirked. "Ya' ready, Pikachu?"

"Pika!" The small electric Pokemon replied.

"Well, good luck on your journey, Ash." Brock said. "I need to get going too. Nurse Joy Alert, 1 o'clock!" Hurriedly, the living testosterone molecule dashed over to the counter to begin yet another one of his slobber sessions. He couldn't care that his best friend was not going to see him for another few months when such a beautiful woman was in his presence.

"My goodness, he's hopless." Max said. "I guess he'll never learn that he's not going to get anything."

May looked to Ash with a slight smile and stuck out her hand in order to shake Ash's. "It's been a fun time. I hope training goes well." May said. "You too, Pikachu."

Ash stuck out his hand as well and slowly, but sternly shook hers. "Yep, it has. And I _know_ that training will go well."

Max nodded at Ash and squinted his eyes. "Don't you forget those pictures."

"Hah, I won't." Ash said. "You guys have fun on vacation. See ya' later!"

Smiling, Max and May walked off toward the front desk to see what Brock was up to. After having to pry him off of the counter, they went over to the phone to call their parents, while Brock called the camp coordinator to arrange meeting plans. So far, the summer seemed warm and bright for everyone.

"Well, we're goin' back home, Pikachu." Ash said, smiling. His best buddy twitched its ears in delight, happily barking its name. Eagerly, Ash walked out of the crowded Pokemon center and looked to his friends one last time. Now alone, his skin was sweaty, his mouth in a crooked smirk, and his muscles flexed. He was more than ready for his new journey and he quickly marched towards Lilycove's port.


	4. Sea of Serendipity

"Everyone boarding the 2 o'clock ship to Pallet Town, Kanto needs to begin to board." A loud, female voice boomed throughout the vicinity.

Ash and Pikachu were in the middle of a crowd consisting of tourists and talented trainers. All of them were trying their best to get on to the ship first so that they could get the best seat. Since Ash was relatively small compared to some of the people there, only 5'6'' and about 125 pounds, he could easily squeeze between people. He wanted to get a seat that was on the deck, since he knew he'd probably see some awesome marine pokemon on the way back home. After he was finished crawling between legs and making his own path, he got to the entry way and bowed his head to the hostess who was taking count of all of the people who came onto the boat and checking their IDs.

"Excuse me, young man... I need to see your ID." the hostess said. She was tall and slender with long, lime green hair. Her dark blue eyes shimmered like the surface of the ocean water under the sun.

Ash blinked his eyes and reached into his shirt pocket, pulling out his Pokedex. After turning it on, Ash handed it to the hostess to inspect.

"Okay then. Enjoy your trip." the hostess smiled. Ash nodded and walked through the passage way into the ship. The ship was very clean. As he walked up the side of the ship to the bow, Ash's footsteps thumped against the shiny wooden floor. Sitting down on the soft bench at the very tip of the ship, Ash looked over the side down to the water and saw some Luvdiscs and Remoraids swimming around, nibbling off the algae on the side of the ship. Pikachu sniffed in the musky scent of the ocean air and sighed, still perched up on Ash's head.

After all of the passengers were aboard the ship, a loud horn blew. The sound could be heard throughout the large city. Once out at see, the boat, despite its size, sailed briskly across the choppy water. Being at the very tip, Ash flew up out of his seat a few times whenever the boat hit a big wave. The wake of the boat was enormous, sending water so high that Ash occasionally felt some of the salty mist brush against his face. The boat ride was very relaxing and refreshing, and along the way, he spotted many aquatic pokemon, like wailmer and sharpedo.

About halfway into the ride, Ash decided to stop looking out across the ocean. His eyes began to hurt from the intensity of the sunlight. Turning around, he rested the back of his head against the railing and looked to the other side of the ship. Most of the people at the bow were children or teenagers like him, since adults weren't particularly amused by it and preferred to sit inside. Three of the children were very excited to be on the ship and gasped whenever they saw a Pokemon. Ash was surprised that they hadn't come over to him so that they could play with Pikachu. There were two boys and a girl. One of the boys looked a lot like Ash when he was younger, short and small with spiky black hair. The other boy had dark brown hair that was also spiky, very tan skin, and small eyes. He looked like he was a few years older than the young boy and the two seemed to be good friends. The girl was fair-skinned with orange-ish hair and was gifted with gorgeous blue eyes.

The three of the children reminded Ash of his younger days in Kanto, traveling with Brock and Misty. Oh, how he missed those days. The days when everything impressed or surprised him, when his journey was new and fresh. There was so much potential and excitement back then, but now, Ash didn't feel as ecstatic about pokemon training as he did back then. He still loved pokemon and was always happy whenever he was challenged, but nothing really seemed new to him anymore. Sighing heavily, Ash's broad shoulders shifted back and he lowered his cap so that he could close his eyes and fall asleep. Pikachu jumped down from Ash's head and sat on his lap, wanting to get some shut eye too. It was a while before the two would get back home, and both of them knew that they'd have to work hard the minute they arrived.

"Mis... mist..." Ash was in a deep sleep, his head tilted back in a precarious position. He was dreaming about something; something that occasionally made him twitch and sleep talk. Small droplets of seawater covered his skin, which was starting to turn a deep, crisp tan color.

"Excuse me... Sir?" the young girl that Ash had seen earlier was trying to wake him up from his sleep. Her large eyes squinted in impatience and her eyebrows bent down slightly. After a few seconds of prodding his arm, the young girl pinched him lightly on the top of his arm, which got his attention.

"Waaa?" Ash opened his eyes slowly and looked down to the young girl who was beside him. Her big blue eyes looked slightly angry. "Wh--what is it?" Ash asked, yawning. Pikachu woke up as well, stretching its arms out and shaking itself off.

"We're in pallet town, you know." the little girl said. "The boats unloading right now and you didn't hear the horn."

Ash's eyes widened and he looked around, noticing that the little girl was right. He could see his house in the distance, the front lawn covered in flowers. "Oh, my gosh. We're here, Pikachu." Ash said, scratching between his buddy's ears. Pikachu jumped back up onto Ash's head and Ash got up from his seat, stretching.

"Oh, and I don't even get a thank you?" the little girl said to him. She crossed her arms and pouted.

Ash blinked and chuckled slightly. "Thanks for waking me up. I would probably be back in Lilycove if you hadn't." He waved goodbye to the little girl and walked off. The little girl watched him get off the ship and shrugged, walking towards the inside portion of the boat to greet her parents who had been eating lunch.

"We're home, Pikachu!" Ash said happily. He took a deep breath of the Kanto air and exhaled heavily. He and his best friend began walking to his house. The closer they got, Ash noticed that his front door was open, most probably meaning that his mother wasn't home or that she had been expecting someone.

As soon as he arrived, Ash eagerly opened the front door and looked around inside. Everything appeared to be quite normal. The house was beautifully decorated as usual, since his mother had quite the fondness for making everything look happier and prettier. Looking for any signs of his mother or Mimey, Ash's eyes scanned the house.

"Mom? I'm home!" he called to her. Ash's eyebrows bent. This wasn't like his mother. She would have left some sort of note or something; some sort of sign that she had left. He also called to Mimey, knowing that his mother said that she would leave him there while she went on vacation. There was no response, but when Ash walked further into the living room, he saw that Mimey was snoozing away on the couch. No longer thinking that someone had broken into his house, Ash sighed and smiled, pacing slowly into the kitchen to make himself a meal. He still wondered why the front door was open, though. His mother was indeed one for home security.

"Ya' hungry, Pikachu?" Ash asked his pokemon. Pikachu jumped off of his head and onto the counter, saying its name happily in an affirmative response. Ash grinned and walked over to the pantry, pulling out a large box of Mac n' cheese and a small bag of pokemon food for Pikachu. He also pulled out a glass pot for his pasta and a bowl for Pikachu's pokefood.

"Now, I can't say that this is gonna' be better than Brock's food, but at least its a little somethin to hold us over, buddy." Ash said as he poured the food into the bowl. He set it aside on the counter and Pikachu eagerly walked over to it and dug in. Ash poured the macaroni into the pot and put some water in it, sticking it in the microwave for 15 minutes. He was an expert cook when it came to the microwave.

While waiting, Ash crossed his arms and leaned against the counter, watching Pikachu eat. The house was very quiet until Ash heard a small bang upstairs. The noise got his attention and he walked over to the stairway to see what it was, looking up the stairs. Wondering if someone had really come into the house, he called up the stairs. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

In response, Ash heard a girl's gasp. The thought this was quite weird and he decided to walk up the stairs. Pikachu, always wanting to be by Ash's side, jumped off of the counter and up onto Ash's shoulder as he was walking up the stairs. Despite the situation, Ash didn't twitch a bit when the small pokemon jumped up on his shoulder. He was so used to it by now that he could have been in a dark cave while Pikachu jumped up on him and he wouldn't have shown an ounce of fear.

Once he was up the stairs, Ash looked in each room, seeing if anyone was there. After finding nothing in his mother's room, he advanced onto the guest bedroom. Since Ash sometimes heard weird things in the guest bedroom and thought of it as the most secluded room of the house, he was slightly hesitant to open it, his hand shaking as he tightly held onto the door knob. His tan skin was sweating slightly and after he had built up his confidence enough, he slowly opened the door and looked inside. Once the door was open enough, he could not believe what he saw.

"Aaa..." the girl said.

"Mm...muh..." Ash said in astonishment.

The girl was about Ash's age, perhaps a year or two older. Her soft skin looked like porcelain beneath the delicate sunlight that poured in through the window like sweet lemonade. Her eyes, as blue as the ocean, were sparkly and were one of her most accentuated features. Her body was fully developed, quite slender with smooth and sufficient curves that made her look quite elegant and womanly. Short and shiny golden-orange bangs hung beside her pink cheeks. Her hair was in an adorable side ponytail. The girl wore a yellow overshirt and a red undershirt. She also wore yellow shorts that fit her hips like a glove. Next to her was a Togepi that looked quite cheerful. The two of them almost looked like child and mother. All of these features were ones that Ash had once adored. All of these features belonged to his best friend, Misty.


	5. Back in Balance

**Back in Balance**

Blinking profusely, Ash could not believe his eyes. His cheeks automatically turned a deep pink. His mouth moved a few times before he finally recovered his voice. "Misty..." he said questioningly. Pikachu smiled largely and squealed its name in exhiliration, hopping off of Ash's shoulder and skipping over to Misty in joy.

"Ash." Misty replied. She noticed Pikachu running over to her and let it jump into her arms, embracing it tightly. She smiled at her pokemon friend and slowly got up from where she was sitting. She couldn't really find the words to say either. All she really knew how to do was to smile, and she did. It was a smile that seemed to stretch from ear to ear.

Ash smiled back. Despite his excitement, he was wondering why Misty was in his house. "Why are you here?" Ash asked in a friendly voice.

Misty frowned slightly and looked down to her feet. She was slightly disappointed that those words were the first words that came out of Ash's mouth, since it had been a long time since the two had seen eachother. She was hopping for an "It's been a long time." or a "How are you?", but, she guessed that she couldn't have expected that. Afterall, this must have been a big surprise for Ash. "Well...you see... Your mom wanted me to come and watch over the house last night. She and Professor Oak had to leave sooner than expected because the flight is cheaper today than it will be tomorrow."

"Oh, I see..." Ash said. He was a little saddened that his mother didn't stay for a while so that she could see him and hear all about his Hoenn journeys, but he was still very happy about Misty being there. He couldn't seem to erase the smile that was planted on his face, and Misty couldn't seem to either. After a moment of silence, Ash stepped closer to Misty and looked into her eyes. "How are you?" he asked.

Misty blinked at Ash's actions. "Uh... I'm doing just fine." Misty said. "I'm really enjoying my stay here. This is such a pretty house."

Ash nodded in agreement. "Well, that's good that you're doing well."

Misty rubbed the bottom of her foot against the carpet in nervousness. "Yeah...Everything's going pretty well. But, how are you?" Misty gently asked.

"I'm good." Ash responded. "Pikachu is doing really well...gotten a lot stronger since the last time we were all together."

Misty smiled at how much Ash loved to talk and care about his Pokemon. That was one of the things that she always liked about him. Petting the top of Pikachu's head as she held it, Pikachu looked up to her and closed its eyes in relaxation. "Yeah... Pikachu seems really happy." Misty noticed. "Anyway, what brings you all the way back to Kanto?"

Ash smiled. Pikachu, noticing that their conversation had shifted on to talking about pokemon training, jumped out of Misty's arms and onto Ash's shoulder again. "Haha, well... Pikachu and I wanted to come back here to train for the Hoenn League Championships." Ash stated in a confident tone of voice. "We figured that we hadn't been here in a while, so it'd be good to train here and challenge people who we haven't battled in a while."

Misty's eyes widened and then she smirked. This had been the moment she had been waiting for ever since she saw Ash open the guest bedroom door---the moment she would have the chance to ask him for a pokemon battle. Even though the two were good friends, Misty had always felt an urge to prove her skills to Ash, since he was the one that always got the attention. She wanted to show him that she could be just as capable as him and to show him especially how strong she had gotten while watching over the Cerulean City gym while the two were away from each other. "Well... that was a good idea, Ash." Misty said. "But only because people like me who you haven't challenged in a while have gotten a whole lot stronger." She bragged.

"Oh?" Ash said, smirking a little too. He automatically knew that she wanted to battle with him. He and Misty could read each other's minds sometimes. It showed that they were indeed very good friends. Ash clenched his fists in anticipation and gritted his teeth. "Let's go then. Let's go outside and battle! One on one!"

Smiling in remembrance of Ash's overwhelming amount of confidence, Misty scooped her Togepi up in her arms, grabbed her bag, and quickly walked past Ash, giving him an arrogant eye as she did so. Ash hurried behind her and as they inched closer and closer to the front door, his heart beat faster and faster. Pikachu was very excited too, the air particles near its cheeks moving faster and faster due to the electrical heat that was developing in those red panels.

Once the two trainers were outside and underneath the incandescent sunlight, they spread apart, using the small, inactive dirt road in front of Ash's house as their battlefield. Misty placed Togepi in a small bed of flowers that was just a few feet across from where she was standing. Pikachu jumped off of Ash and ran over to sit next to the Togepi, since it was not the pokemon in Ash's line of offense.

There was a strong breeze as the two stood opposite of each other, taking in the intensity of the moment. Misty knew that she had to do well, but in a way, she also hoped for Ash to do well because he was indeed about to go to the Hoenn League Championships. Slowly, both of the trainers went for their belts, grabbing the pokeball of their first pokemon.

After flexing his entire body and feeling a surge of courage through the pokeball that he was holding, Ash fiercely tossed the ball up into the air. "I choose you, Grovyle!" After a flash of crimson light, the tall plant pokemon emerged. Its yellow eyes looked almost fluorescent, which made it look rather intimidating to Misty. After retrieving the pokeball, Ash stood with his hands on his hips, waiting for Misty.

Despite Grovyle's scary appearance, Misty knew which pokemon she was going to use and felt very confident. She closed her eyes and tossed the pokeball very high. "Let's do it, Dewgong!" After the red flash, Misty's Dewgong appeared. The ice pokemon was so frigid that tiny crystals formed on its slippery skin, while small icesicles grew off of its chest. After looking to its opponent, the pokemon roared its name, its tusks looking like gigantic fangs.

"Good choice, Misty." Ash said. "This will be interesting."

"Oh, will it ever! Dewgong, start things off with **_Hail_**!" Misty rumbled.

The Dewgong growled its name in focus and its eyes glowed a brilliant, neon blue. The icesicles on its chest grew and suddenly, the entire vicinity began to become very stormy. The few clouds that had patched the sky like cottonballs grew to enormous proportions, becoming an angry, vast blanket of atmospheric entropy. Eventually, huge golf-ball sized ice bullets rocketed from the clouds and struck both of the pokemon. However, the effects on both of the pokemon were quite different. The pieces of hail struck the Grovyle repeatedly, causing its health to diminish. As they struck, the plant pokemon groaned in pain, while as they struck Dewgong, the effect was beneficial and only caused the ice pokemon to become stronger.

Ash bent his eyebrows in frustration. He saw that his Grovyle was in pain and needed to think fast. Eventually, the light bulb turned on. "Ah, I got it! Grovyle, use **_Sunny Day_**!"

After taking some of the damage from the hail, Grovyle's yellow eyes brightened and the pokemon formed a bright aurora around it that was as powerful as the light of the sun. After a while of creating energy, Grovyle transferred its energy into the sky, causing some of the clouds brought about by the Dewgong to dissolve like sugar cubes in hot water. Despite this, a lot of the clouds still remained and some hail was still falling from the sky, but not nearly as intense as it was before, since the extra warmth melted the icy hail that was created in the sky. The strategy also caused some of the icesicles on Dewgong to melt, its ability hindered.

"Haha, now we're even, Misty..." Ash said.

Misty laughed in disbelief. "We're far from even, Ash!...Dewgong! Use **_Headbutt_**!"

The Dewgong nodded in response to its trainer's command and its entire body tensed up. Every single muscle of Dewgong's was tightening in preparation of an attack of immense agility, precision, and strength. The pokemon swiftly attacked, rocketing through the air like a torpedo. Ash ordered his Grovyle to dodge the attack, but such efforts were not made in time and the Dewgong pierced the Grovyle directly in the chest with its sharp horn and then spun around to give it a whack with its forceful tail. The Grovyle bashed against the dirt road from the impact. With a worried and stunned face, Ash looked to his suffering pokemon as it lay weak. Had he really just lost the battle? Misty stared at Grovyle on the ground with her arms crossed, smirking in arrogance.

"Grovyle..." Ash said in anxiety.

"Looks like this battle is mine." Misty said in a bold voice.

Ash darted his mellow brown eyes towards Misty and the frown on his face only got larger. He then looked back to the Grovyle, hoping that it would have the stamina to get back up.

Then, Ash noticed that the sky was beginning to clear up. The hail that had been falling melted into small raindrops and the sun blazed. Surprisingly, after a few moments, the Grovyle's eyes began to glow a brilliant yellow again and the amazing pokemon stood up, trembling. Ash smiled gratefully at his pokemon's courage and cheered Grovyle on, saying his usual, "All right!" in a joyous voice.

Misty gasped in awe of Ash's pokemon. She thought that she had won the battle. The smirk that was once on her face diminished quickly, and she tensed up, noticing that Grovyle was back and ready to rumble. "Dewgong, get ready." She warned.

"That's the way to do it, Grovyle!" Ash said, smiling to his companion. Looking over to the garden bed and seeing Pikachu smiling in excitement gave Ash a lot of encouragement, and the young man tensed every muscle in his body. "Grovyle, I want you to absorb all of the energy you can... As quick as you can... And use **_Solarbeam_**!"

The plant pokemon nodded and its eyes looked like two small suns. The pokemon was literally glowing, and the sky could not become more clear and blinding. As the pokemon absorbed light, a rainbow down appeared around it, since the humidity from the fallen haildrops caused the light to refract. It was mystical.

Misty was not intimidated by the attack that Ash was about to use, even though Dewgong was a water Pokemon. Instead, she only rised to the occasion. "Dewgong, give it all you've got with your **_Ice Beam_**!"

Much like the Grovyle, the Dewgong's eyes changed, turning a neon blue. The ice pokemon became incredibly cold, freezing all of the little melted hail droplets instantaneously into large snowflakes. The pokemon opened its large mouth, exhibiting a growing beam of frigidness that was bound to freeze anything that came in contact.

Grovyle was also beginning to work up its beam inside of its mouth, since it had already built up enough energy. Its entire body was shaking in fervor, ready to ejaculate the hot beam.

Simultaneously, the two pokemon released their beams. The sound that was created was enormous and almost matched that of a fog horn. The two beams moved incredibly fast, hitting one another with an incredible force. After a few moments of the beams fightning back and forth, the beams eventually combined, finding no other place to go. A combined solar and ice beam hit both pokemon, causing a huge amount of damage to the two adversaries.

Immediately, both of the pokemon were fired backwards, hitting the ground with a buddle of melted ice around them from the combined attacks of hot and cold. The two pokemon were both exhausted were motionless. Ash and Misty both waited for something to happen, yet nothing did. Their mouths gaped open in surprise, noticing that this pokemon battle had been a draw.

"Oh... my gosh." Misty said. She stared at her Dewgong, which had its eyes closed. She walked over to her pokemon and pet its skin. Its blubbery skin was more like jello instead of the thick sturdiness that it usually had. She frowned at the health of her pokemon and knew that the poor Dewgong was not able to fight anymore. Slowly, Misty retrieved the pokemon by clicking open its pokeball and then reattached the ball back to her belt and stood up.

Ash, on the other hand, was not as quick to accept what had happened. He also walked over to his pokemon and tried to get some type of response out of it, shaking it slightly and calling its name. The pokemon did not respond however, and Ash slowly and sadly retrieved his pokemon as well.

Misty walked over to Ash and looked down to him as he knelt on the floor near the dent in the ground that was caused by the climax of the pokemon battle. "That was... a really good battle." Misty said in encouragement, trying to make the frown on Ash's face go away.

Ash just stared at the dent and shook his head slightly. "I guess..." he said. He then slowly stood up, but kept his eyes on the dent. "...Now I know I'm really going to need to train for the Hoenn League Championships."

Misty nodded in agreement with a frown and walked over to her Togepi, picking the egg pokemon up and patting its head. She embraced it in her warm arms, keeping it close to her heart as always. "How did you like that, Togepi?" The egg pokemon looked up to its trainer and waved its arms in happiness, shrieking is name... "Togeebriiii!!!"

Ash noticed the Togepi's shriek and looked over to Misty. After a few seconds of staring at her and recalling the battle, he thought about how much she had progressed since the last time he saw her. _She's good._ Ash thought. A slight frown was on his face as he thought about how much she had grown. He was happy that she had made so much progress, but he knew that he had to be an incredible pokemon trainer if he were to even stand a chance in the Hoenn League Championships. How could he do well there if he couldn't even win a pokemon battle with his Grovyle against a Dewgong? Perhaps he was being too hard on himself, but the thoughts kept storming through his mind.

Misty looked back to Ash and walked over to him. Pikachu followed alongside, jumping on Ash's shoulder once the happy pokemon reached him. Misty smiled to Ash, hoping to give him a feeling of comfort. Ash looked to Misty and returned a slight smile. His eyes were heavy with disappointment.

"It's okay, Ash..." Misty said. "We both did good. It was a really good battle."

Ash continued to look at Misty with his saddened eyes.

"And plus, if you keep acting so sad and down about this battle... how are you going to continue training?" Misty asked. Her cerulean eyes were sparkling under the sun and her hair looked like shiny pieces of soft, golden foil under the sun.

Ash thought about what she had said for a moment. After noticing that she was right---noticing that he'd only keep going farther downhill if he chose to be saddened---he smiled at Misty's optimism and brightness, nodding his head in agreement. To his response, Misty also smiled lightly, being proud of her friend. The two stared at each other for a few minutes. Ash could not take his eyes off of Misty's rich, golden locks, and Misty could not take her eyes off of Ash's strong, chocolate irises and his sweaty, tanned skin.

_Mmmmrrrrrrrrrrrrghhhh..._

Both Misty and Ash broke their stare and blushed intensely in embarrassment, looking downward at their stomachs.

"Woah... we must be hungry." Ash said, laughing.

Both of their stomachs had growled in unison at the same time, which did not only ashame them, but made them laugh. Afterall, the two were best friends.

"Hahahaha... that was weird." Ash said. He glanced to Misty's stomach and the blush on his cheeks seemed to get a little deeper. "Anyway... we should probably go get something to eat."

"Hehe, yeah... You're right." Misty giggled.

Ash brought his eyes up from Misty's stomach and then shook his head. _Eeek! Why was I looking there? _Ash questioned himself. He didn't exactly know why for himself... It was like his eyes were just magnetically drawn there. Misty noticed that Ash had been looking at her stomach and her face also became more pink.

"Erm... Anyway. Do you want to go out to eat?" Ash asked.

Misty nodded. "Sure. That'll be fine."

Ash smiled largely and raised his eyebrows. "Oh... I know of this great All-You-Can-Eat buffet in town."

Misty smiled in agreement. "Yeah... We should go there since we're so hungry."

Ash nodded at Misty's inquiry and turned towards town. He smiled. "Let's go, then."

The two walked down the dirt street, Misty holding her Togepi in her arms and Ash having his Pikachu perched atop his shoulder like usual. The sun was warm, making the two feel very comfortable as they slowly and leisurely walked towards their destination.

While Misty looked foward towards the horizon, Ash glanced at her and stared at her for a moment, reminiscing. For some odd reason, even though he had just lost the first battle of his training journey, he had felt the best he had felt in a while.


	6. Emerging Thoughts

Once in town, Ash and Misty found the restaurant that they were looking for. It was an old building that looked like it needed some renovating. The paint on the outside was peeling and the door was rugged and also needed a paint job. Despite its unwelcoming appearance, the two friends walked in, smelling the sweet aroma of many different types of food, from crab rangoon, to yakitori, to spaghetti.

The inside of the restaurant was much more beautiful than the outside. The walls were shiny and newly painted and the floor was covered in soft, red carpet. There were many tables in the restaurant, all made of very dark, fine wood. The chairs had padding on them that was covered with pink silk. The lights of the restaurant were slightly dimmed, since the day was becoming later since it was already about 5pm. The two seated themselves in a small booth, since that's what the sign at the hostess stand said to do, and waited to be served.

Pikachu sat beside Ash and Togepi sneaked into Misty's bag once she set it down beside her. Ash and Misty both looked around, examining the restaurant and patiently waiting.

"This is a nice place." Misty said, smiling softly.

Ash blinked at Misty and smiled back. "Yeah, it sure is. I'm glad we came here."

After a while, a tall woman who was wearing a pink skirt and a maroon working shirt walked up to their booth. She was rather young---in her mid 20s. Her hair was short and light brown and she had large, purple eyes. She held a small memo book in which she wrote down her orders. Even though it was a buffet and she only had to write down the desired beverages, she had to make sure she remembered everything perfectly. Her face encompassed a slight frown and she didn't look particularly amused to be at work.

"What can I get for ya'll to drink?" the woman asked, her pen positioned and ready to write down the order.

Ash and Misty simultaneously looked to the waitress. They were happy that someone had finally come to take their order. When they got hungry, they also became very impatient. Afterall, they were growing teenagers.

"I'll have water." Misty said in her sweet voice. She didn't really drink soda. She needed to keep a good complexion.

"And... I'll have orange soda." Ash replied. He could care less about a complexion and just knew that he wanted something sweet.

The waitress wrote down their order and gave them their chopsticks and extra napkins, which she held in an apron-like belt that was attached to her skirt. "Okay, you guys are free to go and get what you'd like." The waitress walked into the back of the restaurant to the beverage dispenser and filled up two large glasses, adding ice beforehand.

Ash and Misty scooted quickly out of the table, their mouths beginning to salivate at the smell of all of the delicious food. Pikachu was also hungry, shown by the small amount of drool that was protruding from the side of its mouth.

"Pikachu, you stay here and watch Togepi, okay? I'll be back with some food for you in a minute." Ash told his pokemon. The Pikachu nodded and slurped up the drool, looking at Misty's bag to make sure that Togepi was still in there, safe and sound.

The two walked up to the large buffet and grabbed their plates. Both of the trainers grabbed two plates, one for themselves and one for their pokemon. The buffet had many different types of food. It mostly consisted of Chinese and Japanese food, but also had some italian and american food as well. Misty got some jello for Togepi to eat and Ash got some ramen and strawberry chicken for Pikachu. For herself, Misty got some fried rice, some sushi, and some yakitori, along with a bowl of miso soup. Ash, on the other hand, was not as modest with his selections, stuffing all that he could on his plate: yakitori, tofu, fried rice, onigiri, udon, pork, crab rangoon, rolls, pizza, and a donut. When Misty looked over to the mound of food that Ash had, she giggled. _Gosh... what a pig. _She though. After the two were finished, they walked back to the booth and sat down. Their drinks were already at the table, waiting for them.

Ash set the plate of ramen and strawberry chicken down for Pikachu, who immediately began to masticate its food. Ash and Misty both laughed at the pokemon, but they knew that their eating habits weren't much different.

"So..." Misty started, grabbing a hunk of rice with her chopsticks and planting it in her mouth. "What is Hoenn like?"

Ash took a huge piece of pork with his chopsticks and shoved it in his mouth, chewing on it obnoxiously while he talked. "It's great. There are so many cool pokemon over there and there are things called pokemon contests, where you can show off your pokemon's moves and also battle for prizes."

Misty took a drink of her water and nodded. "That seems really cool... I wish I could go over there."

Ash smiled and took a bite of crab rangoon. "It's awesome. You should come to Hoenn and watch the championships."

Misty set her water back down and agreed with Ash, nodding with a smile. "Yeah... That'd be great." she said, picking up a stick of yakitori and nibbling on one of the pieces of meat. "So, how's Brock?... Did you meet any new friends while you were over there?"

Ash slurped up some of his udon, nodding in response. Once he was finished engulfing the noddles, he wiped his mouth off with the side of his arm. "Brock's well. He's focusing more on getting a girlfriend than pokemon, though." Ash said, laughing. "And... Brock and I met this girl named May over there...and her little brother, Max. They're cool."

Misty laughed at the fact that Brock had become even more perverse and then blinked at the thought of Ash being good friends with another girl. She didn't know why, but it made her stomach feel like it was about to vanish from her body. She didn't think that she was jealous of the girl, but she didn't really like it that Ash had another female best friend in his life. Why did she feel so strongly though? She didn't show a reaction on the outside, except for silence.

Eventually, Ash noticed her sudden change in behavior and his eyebrows bent in wonder. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Misty blinked and jumped slightly, interrupted while in thought, and shook her head. "Oh, it's nothing." She took up her miso soup and sipped it down, wanting to cover up her blushing face.

Ash blinked at her and then shrugged, continuing to eat his food. His stomach had too much reign over his brain that he had no time to think about anything else. He was already almost done, and was getting full. Pikachu was also almost done, but then stopped. The pokemon leaned back, holding its fat stomach and groaning, showing that it had over ate.

Misty was almost done too. All she had left was her sushi. She grabbed one of them with her chopsticks. She closed her eyes as she wrapped her luscious, pink lips around the sushi and chewed on it lightly with her mouth closed. Ash watched her as she ate the sushi. There was something hypnotizing about the way that she ate them, and he just stared at her as she planted each one into her mouth. Once she was finished, she opened her eyes and saw Ash staring at her with his mouth open. She automatically blushed and her eyebrows bent in wonder, just like Ash's had before. "What are you staring at?" Misty asked in a questioning voice.

Ash blinked out of his trance and then shook his head. "Huh? uh... Nothing." he said. He then coughed the thought away. Ash scooted out from the bench and stood up. "Anyway, I'm gonna go get some ice cream. Do you want some?" he offered. It was the least he could do for her. He had just embarrassed her by staring at her while she ate, and he felt ashamed for doing so.

Misty blinked in astonishment at his chivalry and then smiled, nodding. "Sure, that'd be great... Get me twist." Misty said. She watched her friend walk towards the machine and the blush on her face got a little deeper, admiring his politeness. _He's never acted this nice before. _She thought. _Oh well. I guess it's true that friends are nicer to eachother after they haven't seen each other for a long time. _

Misty set her hand down on her bag and tapped on her Togepi, trying to get its attention. "Togepi, it's time to eat your jello." she said. The small pokemon poked its head out of the sack and yawned, awaking from a nap. Misty smiled at its cuteness and set the plate of jello down on the seat of the booth, letting her Togepi take the little squares of jello into its mouth.

Soon, Ash walked back to the booth with two bowls of ice cream in each hand. He put sprinkles on top of each of them, and he decided to get twist too, just like Misty had wanted. He sat down and shifted one of the bowls toward Misty, also giving her a plastic spoon. The two quickly dug in, scooping the ice cream up and shoving it into their mouths. Surprisingly, neither of them got a brainfreeze. Once they were finished, their mouths were covered in melted ice cream and they sat back, being stuffed. After a moment, the two burped at the exact same time. Boy, those two sure had stomach synchronization. Like before, they laughed at how their stomachs had made the same noise at the same time. Pikachu and Togepi also laughed.

"Hahaha... we're so much alike." Ash said, laughing still.

Misty giggled and nodded in agreement.

Letting their dinner settle, the two sat there for a few moments, waiting for the bill. Eventually, the same waitress as before brought the bill to them. Ash automatically took the bill, since he figured Misty wouldn't be paying. Back when he was with her and Brock, if Brock wasn't paying, Misty would try to get Ash to always pay the bill, in some form or another. She'd even walk out of the restaurant sometimes, leaving Ash to pay. She had thought it was funny to do such things--to try and frustrate him so that he'd cross his arms and look at her with a glare and frown. However, she thought that no more. Her manners had matured and realized that something else about her had matured greatly as well.

Misty smiled when Ash took the bill and then jolted her arm outwards so that she could grab it. With her other hand, she shook her finger at Ash, who sat in amazement and confusion. "You're not going to pay this time." Misty said, smirking.

Ash blinked. Deciding to not show discontent for her generosity, he just smiled at her while she calculated a tip and took some money out of her sack. "Thanks, Misty."

Misty nodded and smiled in response and looked around for the waitress. The bill was about 2500 yen, which was the cost of a usual meal that they had eaten. Within a few moments, the waitress came back to the table and took the cash from her. "You can keep the change." Misty said. The waitress smiled and walked away.

Ash stared at Misty for a few moments while he rubbed the top of Pikachu's head. He wondered why she had decided to pay for their meal, when she rarely ever volunteered to pay for the entire bill. Whatever reason it was, he felt grateful.

Misty took another sip at her water and looked out the window. "It's getting dark." she noted.

Ash's eyes shifted towards the window and he smiled slightly and nodded. "Yeah... We should probably start heading back home."

The word "home" made Misty's eyes widen and she automatically blushed. She didn't know why she was blushing, or why it made her react this way... "Home"... It made it sound like they lived together... Like they were part of the same family. For some reason, Misty momentarily enjoyed the thought and she felt very warm inside... But then she realized that Ash was right in front of her and she shook her head, blushing even more deeply and being embarrassed that she had thought what she had thought.

Ash blinked at the way she was acting and his eyebrows bent in confusion. "What's the matter?" he asked.

Misty laughed and touched the back of her head. "Oh, it's nothing... I think that something I ate is making me feel a little queasy." Misty lied.

"We should start heading home then." Ash suggested. "My mom has some medicine at the house."

Misty blinked and then smiled. "Oh, no... It's okay. I don't need medicine." she responded. "I guess we should start heading home though."

Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder, ready to hit the road. Misty picked up Togepi and her back, slowly scooting out of the booth. Ash did the same. Once they were outside, the two breathed in the crisp, evening air and sighed, feeling awfully good now that they had eaten.

While they walked, not much was being said. Ash and Misty simply listened to the sounds of the bug pokemon that came out during the evening hours. Wanting to break the silence, Ash decided to ask Misty a question.

"So, Misty. Why did you want to pay for dinner?" he asked. He looked over to her and grinned.

Misty blushed again, the color of her cheeks matching the magenta colored sunset sky. "Well... I just thought since you got me ice cream and since you're the one visiting that I'd pay."

Ash blushed slightly at how innocently and nicely she responded. "That's nice of you, Misty." he complimented.

"Yeah..." Misty responded, looking away. She knew well that those weren't the only reasons. She had admired the way he had grown over the past year or so and liked the person that he had developed into. It was true that Misty always wanted to have Ash be more than a friend... Sure, there were a few times the two had flirted... A few times they held hands... And a few times they had saved one another... But the two never did anything more than that... Misty wasn't sure if Ash had the same feelings as she did... She paid for the bill to flatter him... To impress him... And to show him that she was a lady, that she was mature.

As Ash walked alongside his best friend, he too, thought about the person who he was standing next to. He liked the fact that she had paid for the bill... He thought that she was nice and caring... Over the past few hours, he had noticed that she had turned into a person that was mature, yet still very girlish. He would be lying if he said that he didn't like the person that she had developed into. It was true that Ash always thought of Misty as a good friend... and even more, sometimes. He knew that he couldn't become involved in such things though, especially when he had the championships coming up. It was very hard for him though... to look at her beautiful, deep eyes and to not melt away in the warmth of memories. He looked over to Misty, wanting to feel the feeling he felt whenever he looked at her.

"The sunset sure is beautiful." Misty said.

Ash smiled at her observation and looked at the sunset as well. "Yeah..." _Almost as beautiful as you..._

With thoughts of each other within their minds, the two walked off into the horizon that was painted with bright oranges, pinks, purples, and reds... The colors of happiness.


	7. Sound Slumber

When the two friends arrived back home, they slowly closed the door behind them. They were glad that they could sit down and relax, since the restaurant that they had just gone to was quite a while away.

Ash smelled a sour smell coming from the kitchen. Curious, he walked into the kitchen and then remembered that he had made mac n' cheese. Ash chuckled a bit at his forgetfulness and paced to the microwave and opened it. The mac n' cheese was all mushy from sitting in the water for a while, so he decided to just strain the water out of it, put the cheese in, and give it to his pokemon. Ash put the bowl down on the floor and released his swellow and his corphish, since those two would eat anything, even if it was Ash's amazing instant mac n' mush. The two pokemon danced joyously with crescent eyes and scarfed down the food as if they hadn't eaten in years.

Ash walked out into the hallway to see where Misty was and leaned against the wall, observing his best friend and crossing his arms. Pikachu followed him. Misty had sat down on the couch and made herself comfortable, playing around with Togepi. She took its two little arms between the thumb and index finger of both of her hands and danced side to side with it, humming a jaunty, childish tune that the Togepi enjoyed. Ash smiled at the sight of her and Togepi. After a few moments of watching them, he actually began to develop another admiration for Misty. She was always so playful with her pokemon and really loved to treat them with happiness. He thought about the way he had trained his pokemon and noticed that he wasn't as nearly as playful with his pokemon. Even though Ash knew that he had to be a hardworking trainer, he still felt like he had a shortcoming when he watched Misty play with her Togepi... he felt like she knew how to show something that he really didn't know how to. He wanted her to teach him... and deep down inside, he wanted her to treat _him_ that way.

"Hah, you and Togepi sure look happy together." he said to Misty. He uncrossed his arms and walked over to the couch, sitting down about two feet away from Misty on the same couch. Misty's large blue eyes followed him as he sat down and she smiled slightly, glad that her friend had joined her.

"Yeah, I love playing with Togepi..." Misty said. She snuggled the pokemon against her chest and the egg pokemon smiled brightly.

"So..." Ash said. He leaned back and put his arms behind his head. Pikachu was sitting on the arm of the couch right next to him. Ash sighed and finished his sentence. "So... What's it like being a gym leader, Misty?"

Misty looked over to Ash with large eyes, surprised that he had asked the question. Ash usually only talked about himself and rarely asked Misty questions about her training experiences or personal life. She smiled and looked up to the ceiling. "Well, it's very exciting. It's fun to battle a lot of different people and to come across so many different pokemon."

Ash nodded. "Yeah, I think I'd really like to be a gym leader, someday." Ash let down one of his arms to pet Pikachu's head, leaving the other one resting behind his own head. "I just know I have a lot of work to do before then."

Misty blinked at Ash's comment. "You could definitely be a gym leader." Misty said. "I think you should be one. I bet you that the Pokemon League would place you at the top of the league. You'd love it."

Ash was surprised at Misty's compliment and blushed slightly. "Hah, thanks Misty." he responded. He felt an extra boost of confidence when she had told him that. When he received compliments from anyone else, he would just feel appreciative for their admiration, but Misty was different. He felt like he was on top of the world when she complimented him... like he could do anything.

"Mmhm." Misty replied. She smiled at him and then looked at Pikachu, who was beginning to fall asleep as Ash pet its head. She thought about the gym in which she lead, and remembered that she had forgotten something there that was very important to her. She really wanted to go back and get it, but she thought it would be rude to just leave Ash after he had just gotten there. Plus, she didn't want to leave him. She felt so wonderful to be by his side again... It felt like she actually meant something to the world, to someone.

Misty set her Togepi down on her lap and crossed her arms, leaning back like Ash had done. She looked up to the ceiling in thought and closed her eyes. Her face was in a blank expression. She wanted to ask him if it would be okay for her to go get what she wanted to get from back at the Cerulean gym, but she was nervous that he would say that he'd stay behind while she went there to get what she needed.

Ash noticed the look on Misty's face as he gazed at her. "What's on your mind?" he asked.

Misty opened her eyes slowly and looked over to Ash. "I was just wondering... if it would be all right with you if I go back to Cerulean city tomorrow to get something that's really important to me."

Ash grinned at Misty. "That'd be a good idea." Ash said. Misty looked over to him in surprise with her glistening blue eyes. "Really?" she asked.

"Yeah..." Ash said. "I bet I'd see a lot of old friends on the way there and it only takes a few hours to get there by foot." _Plus, it'd be nice to have even more of those memories from the good old days. _Ash thought to himself.

Misty giggled and smiled largely at Ash's statement. "Thanks, Ash." she said.

Ash nodded and stopped petting Pikachu, leaning back more and placing his other hand behind his head again. He closed his chocolate eyes, having a very relaxed look on his face. Little did he know that Misty was staring at him, blushing. After a few moments though, he opened the eye that was closest to Misty, which was his right one, and looked at her, seeing that her face was completely flushed.

Misty laughed and turned away when Ash opened his eyes. _Goodness, what's wrong with me? I can't stop looking at him when he's acting so relaxed around me... it's like I'm under some kind of... spell._ She thought. Misty opened up her sack so that Togepi could trot on into it and closed it up. "Well, I should really go upstairs and get ready for tomorrow." Misty said. Misty got up from her seat and walked over to the stairs, slowly walking up them. She glanced over to Ash while she walked, noticing that he was watching her every move, which embarrassed her. Once she was upstairs, she walked into the bathroom and shut the door.

Ash sighed, thinking about how much Misty had changed and how much he had missed her over the time they had been apart, even though he never really realized it until now. He got up from his seat too, walking in to the kitchen to clean up the bowl that he had set out for swellow and corphish. Pikachu followed behind him, as always. The two pokemon were asleep on the kitchen floor, their stomachs bulging out from eating too much. He smiled at his slumbering pokemon once he set the bowl in the sink and clicked on both of their pokeballs that he detached from his belt, retrieving them. Once he was ready to go upstairs as well, Pikachu jumped up onto Ash's shoulder as he started heading up the stairs. Once he was upstairs, he walked into his room and laid on his bed. He didn't bother turning on the lights or anything, he just looked up to the ceiling in thought. The light from the hallway shined faintly across his relaxed body. Pikachu sat next to his bed on the floor, examining the room and sniffing the air.

_Never would I have thought that Misty would be spending the night at my house. _Ash said. _Especially when we're the only one's here. _He rubbed the side of his neck with his fingers as he thought about her and their situation. After a few moments, Ash heard the water in the shower turn on. Automatically, his cheeks turned a deep red. He knew that Misty was taking a shower. Just the thought of it was enough to make him feel like he had butterflies in his stomach.

Ash also heard another noise coming from the shower. He knew it wasn't the sound of the faucet that sometimes squealed... or the sound of anything else. It was a deep, sighing sound... a very relaxed and mellow moan. The same sound occurred over and over again, and Ash knew where it was coming from. _Misty must really love taking showers._ He thought as he touched the sweat drops that were beginning to form on the side of his face.

As he kept listening to the sounds, he couldn't help but to form thoughts of her in his head. The thoughts, of course, were not exactly innocent. Being a teenage boy, no matter how hard he tried to block it out, he thought of Misty, a girl whom he admired for her talent, skill, and exciting personality, with her golden red hair hanging at the sides of her gorgeous face... her body becoming warm, clean, and wet... her shiny, pale skin... her smooth, nude curves... just standing under a shower of warm water and becoming one with the steam in the room... moaning... rubbing up and down her sides with her slender hands... all very slowly... standing in relaxation and purity...

As he thought of these things, he body began to become even more sweaty and his heart began to race. He had never felt so much for Misty before as he was feeling now... Of course, he always thought she was a great friend, an awesome pokemon trainer, and even a beautiful girl... he longed to be close to her a few times, but he had never felt _this_ way. It was like his hormones and his fantasies of her were taking over him and paralyzing his body. Every muscle in his body tensed up at the thought of his naked, female friend in the other room... He could feel something growing inside of him... Something warm and strong. The feeling was mostly in between his legs, where he started to feel warm and tingly. The testosterone coursed through his veins as he kept thinking about her, and his breaths became shallow and rapid... No matter how hard he tried to block it out or how much he tried to ignore it, he felt good. No matter how hard he tried... he couldn't deny the fact that he was in love.

"Ahhh..." Misty said as she stepped out of the warm shower. She was squeaky clean and felt refreshed. She grabbed for her towel and dried her hair somewhat. After she was finished drying it, it looked somewhat tangled and mangled, but was still awfully beautiful. She then wrapped the same towel around her wet body and tied it, grabbing her clothes and opening the door, walking out of the room. She didn't notice that Ash was upstairs yet and just walked into the guest bedroom where she was sleeping, closing the door behind her.

Ash sat up the moment that Misty came out of the room, snapping out of his previous trance a little. He wiped the sweat off of his face with his shirt and took off his hat, laying it down on the bed, next to him. He ran his hands through his hair to make sure that it hadn't gotten too wet while he was sweating and then slowly got up, walking to the guest bedroom. He placed his ear by the door and listened to what was going on. He wanted to ask her a question about tomorrow, but definitely had an ulterior motive. He usually wasn't this nosy with his friends, but after the thoughts that he had just had about her, he was hooked on Misty.

Ash heard drawers slamming, meaning that she was probably getting dressed into her pajamas. After he did not hear the drawers slamming anymore, he decided that it was okay to open the door. He opened the door very slowly and saw that Misty wasn't fully dressed yet---she only had her bottoms on, which was a pair of light blue underwear. Despite this, her back was turned towards Ash. Misty screeched in surprise and turned to look at the door. She looked like a deer in headlights as she stood there and covered up her chest with her arms, even though Ash could see nothing. Ash just stood there, blushing deeply. For a few moments, he did nothing but stare at her legs and her back, gazing up and down her body. He couldn't help himself and he had no control over what his body was doing. Misty blushed deeply, her cheeks becoming as red as beets.

"A--Ash..." Misty said. "Can you please...close the door?"

Momentarily, Ash blinked at her and then shook his head, noticing what he had done. He blushed even deeper than before and gulped. He sweat profusely and his voice cracked as he whispered "Sorry." and closed the door.

Ash stood against the door, breathing heavily. _Gosh, what have I done?_ He asked himself. The sight of Misty half naked and looking at him in surprise kept replaying over and over again in his head and he kept trying to shake them out.

_I've probably totally weirded her out. _He thought. He then went back into his room and sat on the bed, in regret of what he had done. He started at the floor for a long while.

After a whole, Misty walked out of her room and looked into Ash's room, leaning on the door frame. She was wearing a light blue spaghetti strap and tight, navy shorts. The look on her face was partially embarrassed and somewhat angry. She waited for Ash to say something, but he just sat there in the darkness of the room, looking at the floor still. Misty cleared her throat, trying to get his attention. Ash looked to her with sorrowful eyes and the two sat in silence.

"I'm sorry," Ash said. "I just wanted to ask you a question and it sounded like you were finished getting dressed, so I opened the door."

Misty blushed and then crossed her arms. "Well, you could have knocked or something." she suggested.

"I wasn't thinking." Ash responded. He crossed his arms too and looked away from her. In some way, he just wished he could tell her what he was really thinking, but he was far to nervous and unsure of himself to do so.

"Well, I guess I can't blame you." Misty said. She sighed and walked over to Ash's bed, sitting about two feet away from him on it. "You just get too ahead of yourself."

Ash looked over to Misty and frowned a moment, but then smiled. He was sensitive to her criticism, but was happy that she wasn't mad at him.

Misty blushed and rubbed the top of her leg in nervousness. "So, what did you want to ask me?" she questioned.

Ash blinked. "Oh, I just wanted to know when we were going to head out tomorrow."

Misty thought for a moment. "Um... Probably around nine in the morning."

Ash nodded. "Sounds good."

Misty smiled and then looked down to the ground. She bit her lip, nervous. "Well... I guess I should get to bed then."

Ash nodded. "Yeah, we've got a big day tomorrow."

Misty smiled at her friend and then slowly got up from her seat. She stretched, which made Ash look up and down her body. The feelings from before had diminished greatly, but he was still very interested in her. Misty then shook herself out and yawned. "Well, I'll see you in the morning."

"Will do." Ash said with a smile. "Goodnight, Misty."

Misty smiled at him once more before walking out of the room and closing his bedroom door behind her.

Ash thought about his best friend more as he stretched and then dressed into his pajamas, which consisted of a pair of blue-striped boxer shorts and a t-shirt from a pokemon competition that he had watched on TV years ago. I couldn't imagine what he would do if Misty walked in on him, half naked. Even if he only had his shirt off, it would have been quite awkward. After he was finished, he got underneath the covers in his bed. Pikachu, who was previously snoozing away on the ground, jumped up on Ash's bed and got underneath the covers too, laying down right next to Ash's chest. The tired pokemon fell asleep right away after a long sigh... "Chuuu..."

Ash smiled at his pokemon and snuggled up close to it. He closed his eyes for a few minutes, thinking that he'd be able to get to sleep right away, but that wasn't the case. He began to think about Misty again. _She's grown into a person that I really like..._ Ash thought. He thought about their younger days, and questioned why he didn't feel nearly as attached to her as he did now. Was it because she had matured? Was it because they hadn't seen each other in so long? Was it because she had become a better pokemon trainer? Ash didn't know for sure. Ash didn't even know if Misty was feeling similar feelings. The only thing that he was quite sure of was the way he felt... He felt the best he had felt in his entire life. He was pumped up for the Hoenn league championships, and having his best friend and a gym leader on his side at the same time was a major honor for him, in many different ways. Ash fell asleep thinking about the most pleasant things in his life... pokemon, and Misty.

Misty also got into bed, but she could not fall asleep as easily as Ash. She was still thinking about how he had peeped in on her, whether it was an accident or not. She also thought about their past, just like Ash had thought about. Over the years, she had always had feelings for Ash, and they had only grown stronger. She could never find the courage though, to show or to tell him her feelings. She always thought that she'd be rejected... She always thought that she'd mess up... That he'd hate her if she did something wrong or took a step out of place. It was too bad that the two didn't know what each other was thinking, because if they did... it would save them a whole bunch of worries. She was wondering about what he felt... _Does he like me? Does he think I'm pretty? Does he think I'm a good pokemon trainer? Does he think I have potential?... _The questions rotated around in her mind and the centripetal force of it all kept her awake. She needed a solution... otherwise, she wouldn't be able to travel tomorrow.

Slowly, Misty got up out of her bed, grabbed a pillow and her blanket, and tiptoed down the hall to Ash's room. She carefully opened the door, making sure she didn't make a sound. She didn't bother closing it behind her, since she didn't want to take another risk of waking Ash or Pikachu up.

Misty carefully descended to the floor, stretching herself out and covering herself up with the blanket, placing her head above the soft, plump pillow. The floor was very hard and wasn't the most comfortable spots to sleep on. The lowest bed Misty had ever slept on was a futon or a sleeping bag. But none of that mattered to her.

Despite the fact that she knew she'd be in pain the next morning from sleeping on the floor, she remained there. Misty closed her heavy blue eyes, slumbering away... Even though Ash was her dream when she wasn't asleep at all, she dreamt of him anyway. He was everywhere with her. Overall, Misty felt like she was in paradise. Because she was next to _him _she fell stone-asleep right away---she felt like she belonged. She could be sleeping on the most comfortable, luxurious bed in the entire world, but it wouldn't feel anywhere near as great as where she was now.


	8. Wonderwall

**Wonderwall - OASIS**

"Today is gonna be the day  
That they're gonna throw it back to you.  
By now you should've somehow  
Realized what you gotta do.  
I don't believe that anybody  
Feels the way I do about you now.

Backbeat the word was on the street  
That the fire in your heart is out.  
I'm sure you've heard it all before  
But you never really had a doubt.  
I don't believe that anybody feels  
The way I do about you now.

And all the roads we have to walk along are winding.  
And all the lights that lead us there are blinding.  
There are many things that I would  
Like to say to you,  
but I don't know how...

Because maybe...  
You're gonna be the one who saves me?  
And afterall...  
You're my wonderwall.

Today was gonna be the day...  
But they'll never throw it back to you.   
By now you should've somehow  
Realized what you're not to do.  
I don't believe that anybody  
Feels the way I do  
About you now.

And all the roads that lead to you were winding.  
And all the lights that light the way are blinding.  
There are many things that I would like to say to you,  
but I don't know how.

I said maybe...  
You're gonna be the one who saves me ?  
And afterall...  
You're my wonderwall.

I said maybe...  
You're gonna be the one who saves me?  
And afterall...  
You're my wonderwall.

Said maybe...  
You're gonna be the one that saves me...  
You're gonna be the one that saves me...  
You're gonna be the one that saves me.

**Copyright - Oasis. "Wonderwall." Familiar to Millions. 2000. **


	9. Next to Me

The next morning, the sun slowly rose in the horizon, causing the sky to turn a bright gold. Outside, small pidgeys that were perched up on the branches of trees whistled and chirped. A light breeze blew, swaying the trees and causing the wind-chimes that Delia had in the front and back yard to play beautiful music that could make even the most stoic person feel happy to be alive as they awoke from their sleep.

Ash's brown eyes gradually opened. The bright sunlight had awoken him. He looked at Pikachu, who was already awake, but was still laying next to him. Pikachu was smiling at his trainer and its eyes were relaxed and half-way opened. "Pikaa..." the pokemon greeted.

Ash nuzzled his nose against Pikachu's in response and then yawned. He then sat up in his bed. After rubbing off the dried mucus that gathered at his eyes, Ash looked around his room. When he saw Misty asleep on the floor, he was shocked. His cheeks immediately turned pink and he stared at her while she slept.

_I wonder why she's in here?_ He thought to himself. After sitting their for a while and examining her, he smiled. The sunlight that poured through the large windows into his room illuminated Misty's soft skin, and she looked almost angelic with her eyes closed and her golden red hair hanging softly, halfway over her face. Her entire body looked completely relaxed, even though she was on the floor. Ash had tried to sleep on that floor before, and it never worked. He wondered how she could stand to sleep there and why she came into his room to sleep at all, especially since she had a nice, comfortable bed all for herself in the guest bedroom. Despite his confusion, the thoughts of her pulchritude that were slowly flowing in his mind like warm, sweet vanilla, were the only things that he could care about. They saturated his mind like small, elegant flowers.

_She looks like an angel..._ Ash thought. Along with the comforting sight of Misty, the sound of the wind-chimes and the warmth of his bed caused him to feel as if he were in a dream. The feelings he felt made him feel fuzzy and warm inside, like he was a newborn child into a new world... the world of love and intimacy. The feelings became so intense that in a way, he just wanted to get down on the floor next to her and wrap his arm around her and brushing her hair to the side so that he could gently kiss her smooth forehead. However, he knew he couldn't do such a thing. He had freaked Misty out enough last night, and he figured that she didn't need anymore trauma though.

Looking at the time on the poke-ball shaped alarm clock that he had in his room, Ash saw that it was almost nine o'clock---the time that they had agreed on to leave. Ash decided that he'd wake Misty up and leaned down towards her so that he could softly rub her shoulder to get her attention because it looked like she was in too deep of a sleep to just wake her up verbally. "Misty... It's time to wake up." he said, rubbing gently.

Misty's eyes reluctantly opened after Ash shook her for a while. When her vision accustomed itself to the light in the room, Misty blushed heavily and smiled at Ash. "Thanks." she said.

Ash blinked at Misty, but then smiled back. "No problem."

Misty remained on the floor for a few moments and looked out the window. Ash sat back on the bed and gazed at Misty. Her shimmering blue irises looked like waves on the surface of the ocean. Ash smiled at her beauty, but then the question of why she had come in his room to sleep came back to him. Ash crossed his arms in preparation for the question and gulped.

"So, Misty..." Ash began. "Why did you decide to sleep in here?"

Misty blinked at Ash's question, rubbed her eyes, and then slowly sat up so that she could look at him during the conversation. The color of her cheeks deepened as she thought of an excuse. She needed to think of one fast, otherwise, Ash would know that she was lying.

"Um... Well, you see... I heard a sound coming from downstairs last night and I felt uncomfortable sleeping in my own room." Misty said.

Ash giggled slightly. "Scaredy cat." he teased. To this, Misty blinked but then giggled along. She wanted to tell him the real reason so badly, but she just couldn't. The words would not come out right. She could never tell him that she had such strong feelings for him. She was afraid that she'd stutter, making herself look like a fool---like a confused little girl who was too weak to express what she felt.

Ash smiled at Misty and then looked back at his alarm clock. "It's nine o'clock already. We should probably get going if we want to get back here tonight to sleep." Ash suggested. He had a slight feeling that Misty didn't really come in to sleep with him because she was scared, since she sounded and looked like she was lying. He didn't think much of it though, he was kind of flattered.

Misty nodded and smiled back to him. "Yes, we should." Misty slowly got up from where she had been sleeping and then stretched. Ash decided to do the same. The two had looked like they had slept very well---their hair was all messy and their skin had red marks from where their blankets and sheets and dug into their skin. Once she was done stretching, Misty walked into the guest bedroom and shut the door behind her.

Pikachu jumped off of the bed once Misty had left and sat on the ground, looking to its trainer. The pokemon was glad that it didn't have the responsibility of having to brush its teeth or to get dressed. Ash took off his pajamas and set them in a hamper that his mother kept in the corner of his room. He'd usually just throw his dirty clothes where ever he wanted to, but he felt good today---he felt energized, like he wanted everything in his life to be beautiful, clean, and perfect. Ash felt this way he wanted to impress Misty and to show her that he wasn't just a messy, gross kid like she probably thought him to be.

Ash pulled a clean pair of boxers out from his drawer and pulled them on. He decided not to wear his usual traveling attire and just put on some long, baggy denim shorts. He also wore a white t-shirt with an ad for a Pokemon competition on it and a pair of black and white sneakers. He decided to leave his hat off today, since it was the summertime and it would be pretty hot outside. Once he was finished, he gathered his things in his backpack, which was then swung onto his strong, developed shoulders. Pikachu smiled at Ash and jumped up on his shoulder, nuzzling against his face as they walked out of the room.

Once out of the room, Ash entered the bathroom where he brushed his teeth. He used the same toothbrush that he used when he was a little kid, even though it didn't really do much of a good job. Pikachu looked at the reflection of Ash and itself in the mirror and smiled.

Soon, Misty as dressed and had all of her stuff ready to go as well. She had changed into a pair of short, denim shorts and green, spaghetti strap tank top. She wore flip flops for her shoes and they were green, just like her shirt. She sat on the guest bed and opened up her sack that Togepi had slept in that night and the small Pokemon came tumbling out. It had already been awake, since it was very happy to see her, waving its arms up and down in jubilation. Misty smiled at her Pokemon and picked up the bag so she could put all of her things in there. She decided to leave the duffle bag that she had brought that was full of her clothes there, since they would probably be returning that night, but she brought an extra pair of clothes along just in case, stuffing them in the bottom of her sack. Plus, they would keep Togepi nice and cozy. That sack seemed to fit almost everything in it. It managed Misty's extra pair of clothes, some makeup, a book, some sanitary products, her wallet, and of course, Togepi. Once she was ready, she swung her sack over shoulder and scooped up Togepi in her arms. She left the room and in the hallway, ran into Ash, who was finished brushing his teeth.

When they saw each other, they exchanged a soft smile and walked past. Ash was ready to go downstairs and proceeded towards the stairway, but Misty still needed to brush her teeth just like Ash had done. Liking what she was wearing, Ash couldn't help but to look back, seeing Misty walking smoothly into the bathroom, her hips swaying back and forth in those tight, denim shorts. The sight of her struck a blush across his face, and he quickly walked down the stairs.

As Misty brushed her teeth, she held Togepi in one arm, and the toothbrush in the other. She thought about Ash while she brushed, and thought about how the day would go and if they would make it to Cerulean or not. She was really excited, but at the same time, she was pretty nervous. She'd be with Ash the entire day... The thought of it made her face red and caused the butterflies in her stomach begin to flutter.

Ash waited by the door for Misty. She seemed almost finished. Usually, he was really impatient, but he had matured and also, he didn't want to cause an argument or anything like that. Soon enough, she walked down the stairs. Ash glanced at her once, but then looked away since he notice she was looking directly at him.

"So, are we going to go?" Misty asked.

"Sure are." Ash replied. He smiled at his friend and then put his hand in his pocket. "Oh, I looked in the kitchen for some food and I found a two cereal bars, one for you and one for me." Ash extended his arm out to her. "Want it?"

Misty smiled at his generosity and nodded. "Sure...thank you."

"No problem." Ash replied. He turned towards the door and opened it, holding it open for Misty. Misty went through and slightly bowed to him in appreciation.

Once they were out of the house, the two ate their cereal bars and when they were finished, stuffed the trash in their pocket like normal teenagers. The cereal bars were oat honey flavored and Misty and Ash both seemed to really like them, since they ate them quite quickly.

"So..." Misty started. "Which way do you want to go to get to Cerulean?"

Ash's eyes widened in wonder. "Isn't there only one way?"

Misty blinked. "No, you can either go the usual way or you can go on the water." she replied. She then turned a little bit and pointed towards a small port that existed just south of Pallet town. "There's a ferry over there that can take you to Cerulean."

Ash blinked in surprise. "Wow! When did that get here?" he asked in a high-pitched voice.

Misty smiled at him. "They finished it just about a month ago. That's how I got here from Cerulean." Misty said. "It's pretty cool. It's got state-of-the-art navigating devices too. I think they're building similar ports all around Kanto now."

Ash chuckled slightly. "Huhah... Looks like Pallet town is turning into Pallet City..." he said. He frowned slightly, knowing that his hometown had changed while he had been away.

Misty noticed the emotion on his face. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Ash smiled and shook his head. "Oh, it's nothing." Ash said. "I'd...prefer to go the other way." he said. Ash didn't want to see what the ferry was like and wanted to avoid it as much as possible. But he also didn't want to go that way because... He was with Misty and while he was on his way with her to Cerulean City, they would come across the very areas in which the two first met.

Misty smiled at his decision, hoping that he would say that he wanted to go the usual way. "Me too..."


	10. The Forest

The weather outside was sunny, hot, and bright as the two Pokemon trainers made their way towards Cerulean City. While the two were walking through Pallet town, they didn't talk much since there were lots of things to see, but afterwards when they reached the vast forest, they began talking. Ash was the one who decided to start the conversation.

"So, have you got any new Pokemon, Misty?" he asked, smiling to her.

Misty nodded in response. "Yeah, we have a Gyarados back at the Cerulean Gym." she said. "I'll make sure you see it when we get there."

Ash smiled. "That'd be very nice."

Misty then looked to Ash and blinked. "Yeah..." she said. "Have you got any new Pokemon besides that one you used in our battle?"

"Yeah, I've got a lot, actually..." he said. "You wanna' take a break and see them?" Ash suggested.

"Sure... I was kind of wanting to take a break anyway." she replied. "It's really hot out here."

"It is..." Ash said in agreement as he sat down in front of a near by oak tree. Misty joined him, sitting down slowly and letting Togepi sit in the middle of her lap. He pulled four pokeballs off from his belt and threw them into the air. Once they popped open, his four Hoenn Pokemon appeared---Torkoal, Swellow, Corphish, and of course, Grovyle. Misty's eyes widened in amazement as soon as she saw them.

"Oh my gosh... They all look really strong." Misty said. "It looks like you've been doing a really good job in Hoenn, Ash."

Ash smiled and nodded. "Thanks..." he appreciated. "I like to think so."

Misty set her Togepi down right next to Ash, got up, and walked over to Ash's Pokemon and smiled at them. Of course, being a water Pokemon trainer, she paid a lot of attention to Corphish. The Pokemon smiled at her and said its name merrily as she pet it. To this, Ash was stunned. Corphish never really liked it when people it didn't know touched it or came near it. However, with Misty encouraged attention. Misty smiled brightly as she gently rubbed its smooth shell.

"I like this one the best." Misty said, giggling. "What is its name?"

Ash smiled. "Corphish." he replied. "It's usually really shy around people, but it really seems to like you."

Misty chuckled at Ash's statement and blushed slightly. "Hoenn has some pretty cute Pokemon."

Usually, Ash always kept his eyes on his Pokemon, paying attention to their every move. However, as Misty interacted with Corphish, he kept his mellow, chocolate eyes on her. Whenever he looked at her, his eyes felt warm and heavy. The soft and cheerful side of the Misty he once traveled with showed much more, now that she was older. While he had always liked her personality, he was attracted to it now more than ever.

Misty looked to Ash while he was staring at her and blushed deeply. She blinked and moved her arm up and down to try and get his attention, but he didn't really snap out of it. "Ash, are you okay?" she asked in a sweet, concerned voice.

Ash blinked and then nodded affirmatively. Then, he looked away. "Yeah, yeah. Erm... I'm okay."

Misty walked back to the tree where Ash was sitting and sat down next to him. She sighed heavily and picked up her Togepi, setting it back in her lap. While she looked up towards the sky, Ash retreived his Pokemon, afraid that they would start wondering off in the forest. He then looked to Misty as she looked at the sky and smiled at her.

"Ugh..." Misty moaned. "I'm thirsty... and I'm hot..." She wipped some sweat off of her forehead and fanned herself with her hand.

"Yeah, you are..." Ash agreed, just hearing the "i'm hot" part... After a second, he realized what he had just said. "OH! I mean, do you want some water?" he asked.

Misty blushed deeply and blinked. "Sure."

As Ash looked through his backpack for some water, Misty watched him. _What was that all about?_ She wondered. _I wonder if he really meant that the way I think he meant it. _Once Ash pulled the water bottles out, she forgot about what he said and only worried about quenching her thirst. Ash gave Misty the water bottle and she took it gratefully.

"Thank you so much, Ash." Misty said. She examined the water bottle and then unscrewed the cap.

Ash opened his water bottle too and smiled. "Misty, you don't need to thank me." Ash said. He put his hand on Misty's bare shoulder and rubbed it gently. "What're friends for?"

Misty blushed and blinked at Ash. She then smiled in appreciation. The two then both took a long, good sip of their water and gasped afterwards.

"Well, we should probably get going." Ash suggested. He got up and picked up his back pack, shoving the water bottle into his pocket. Pikachu jumped up on his shoulder and Misty followed him, scooping up Togepi in her arms and picking up her sack. The two then carried on, walking on silently through the forest. Despite the quiteness, the two had thoughts racing through their heads.

Soon, the two got to Viridian City. Deciding not to stop, they continued on into the Viridian forest, a place that had meaning to them. When they entered, Misty decided to say something about being there. "Hah... This is where we first met." She said.

Ash nodded, looking around at all of the trees. "It is..." Ash replied. He smiled in admiration.

While the two walked, their eyes glanced around at all of the foliage. Some of the bug Pokemon could be seen, and Misty didn't seem to be afraid of them, for some reason. Ash was surprised because of this and decided to ask about it.

"So Misty, aren't you scared?" he asked.

Misty shook her head. "No, why do you ask?"

Ash blinked in disbelief. "Because, you're usually afraid of bugs and being places like this."

Misty looked at Ash and smiled. "It's because of y---" Misty stopped herself and coughed. She couldn't tell him the real reason why... She couldn't tell him that she wasn't afraid because he was right next to her and that he made her feel comfortable. "I mean... I don't know. I guess I've just matured a lot, is all." she said. "When people get older, they abandon a lot of their fears, you know?"

"I guess..." Ash replied. After a few moments in thought, he grinned to himself cynically and walked over to one of the trees. Eventually, Misty noticed that he had stopped and looked back to him. "What's the matter, Ash?" she asked. Concerned, Misty walked over to him.

..."BWAHHAHAHAH!" Instantaneously, Ash put a Weedle right in front of Misty's face to see if she had really matured or not. Misty's face got really pale and her eyes widened in utter surprise. She then shrieked incredibly loud. She was still scared to death of bugs.

Ash broke out in laughter at Misty's reaction and fell to the ground, letting go of the Weedle and holding his stomach. "Hahaha... Looks like Misty's still a little girl!" Pikachu stood on the ground, looking at Misty in sympathy. She was breathing heavily and leaned against the tree to gather herself together. Togepi turned around while it sat in her arms and tried to calm her down by rubbing on her sternal area. Once Ash noticed how she was continuing to react to the situation, he stopped laughing immediately and got up, seeing if she was all right.

"Misty? Are you okay?" he questioned. He stood right next to her and put his hands on his shoulders to try and calm her down. "Misty... It's okay." he encouraged. "Just take deep breaths." _Gosh, now look what I've done..._ Ash thought to himself.

Misty began to calm down and closed her eyes. Her breathing returned to normal speed and strength. After a few moments, she opened her eyes slowly and looked Ash in the eyes. She didn't look happy.

"I'm really sorry, Misty." Ash said. "I was just playing around. If I had known how you would react, I wouldn't have."

Misty looked away and took Ash's hands off of her shoulders. "You really scared me." she said in a soft voice.

Ash looked to the ground and nodded slowly. "I know..." He said. "I'm sorry.."

Misty smiled at Ash slightly. "Hmph, you're one to talk about being a little kid for someone who still takes pleasure in scaring people like that." she noted.

Ash nodded and bit his lip in agreement. "Yeah, I you're right."

Misty put one hand on his shoulder and smiled at him. "Well, everyone has a weakness. The good thing is that we're not fighting like we always used to, you know?"

Ash smiled back at her. "Yeah, you're definitely right."

Misty nodded slowly and the two stood in silence for a moment. They stared into each other's eyes for a long while, smiling at each other. The breeze that flowed throughout the forest made both of their bangs dance.

Both Ash and Misty then noticed exactly what they were doing and looked away from each other. "Haha, well... We better keep going!" Ash said. "We keep getting sidetracked."

"Let's go then." Misty suggested.

The two continued on their journey through Viridian forest. The sun that illuminated the area was blazing brightly and the temperature had to be at least 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The farther the two walked, the more sluggish they became. While Ash's skin turned tan, Misty's skin started to turn a little more pinkish, since her skin was usually pale. Both Pikachu and Togepi were very glad that they didn't have to walk at all, but were still kind of exhausted from the heat. The water bottle that Ash had for himself was empty and so was the one that he had given to Misty. After a while of walking the two started to become dehydrated. After a few more minutes of walking Ash and Misty heard a quiet swooshing sound nearby. They both decided to follow the sound and walked through many trees before they got to the source. After walking through the dense forest, they came across an area that had barely any trees at all, but was covered with tall grass. After they had been out of the forest area for about seventy feet, the two reached a very wide, and smoothly flowing river. Both Ash and Misty stopped at the same time and looked at each other, smiling.

"When did this get here?" Ash asked Misty.

Misty shrugged her shoulders. "It's probably always been here... It's just really secluded from the rest of the forest, I guess."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Ash said. After a second or two, Ash smiled at Misty. "Anyway...Are you thinkin' what I'm thinkin?" Ash asked Misty.

Misty licked her lips. "Mmmhm...Most probably."

Both Ash and Misty walked quickly over to the river and carefully walked over the bank, kneeling down to examine the water. Since Ash was brave and also wanted to impress Misty, he cupped his hands and put them in the water so that he could bring some up to his face and take a drink. The water was very clean and cool, so he smiled afterwards and sighed in relief.

"Ahh... It's really good." He said to Misty.

Misty smiled and set Togepi to the side. She then cupped her hands and took a drink of the clean water. "Haha... Yeah, you're right!" Misty cheered in agreement after she took her drink.

After taking a few more drinks of the clean water, the two sat down on the ground and relaxed, taking another break.

"I can't believe how good that water was..." Ash said, looking at Misty.

"Yeah, it was really good." Misty said. "Yeah, I just wish that..." Misty paused in the middle of her sentence like she usually did if she was uncomfortable with saying something.

Ash blinked at Misty. "What is it Misty?" Ash questioned.

"Well...It's just that... it's really hot outside and I'm kind of getting a little dizzy from walking so much in this heat, you know?" Misty said.

Ash nodded. "Yeah, I'm starting to feel the same way." Ash said. "What's your point, though?"

Misty smiled at the lake and blushed. "Well... I was thinking that we could go swimming, is all."

Ash chuckled at Misty's suggestion, which made Misty look back at him. He then smiled brightly. "Let's do it." He said. He then got up and took of his backpack and took off his shirt, which was pretty damp because of all his sweat, and threw it to the side. He then took off his shorts and his socks and sneakers as well so that he was only in his boxers. While he undressed, Misty tried hard not to look at him, but she couldn't help peeking a little bit. A heavy blush came across her face and then she stood up as well.

"Ash. I, um... Brought a swimsuit. So, I'm going to go get changed." Misty said.

Ash blinked at Misty. "All right." He said.

_I can't wait to see her in her swimsuit. _Ash devilishly thought. He smirked while Misty walked away and then ran into the river, diving into the clear water once it was deep enough. Pikachu followed along, but just decided to sit down where the water was shallow since it didn't really know how to swim.

Misty walked deep enough into the forest so that she couldn't see Ash anymore, meaning that he probably wouldn't be able to see her either. She set Togepi down next to a large tree and set her bag down right next to it after she pulled out her bathing suit. Luckily for Ash, it was a bikini and it was dark purple. Misty changed quickly so that she could pick up Togepi as soon as possible, afraid that it would waddle away from her. After she changed, she stuffed all of her clothes in her sack and picked up Togepi. She walked slowly back to the riverside, partially because she didn't want to get lost and partially because she was nervous about Ash seeing her half-naked.

Once she was out of the forest and was by the lake, Misty could see Ash, who was swimming about 15 feet away from the shoreline. She smiled at the sight of him and her face turned very, very pink. She set her bag down next to Ash's things. For a moment, she thought about letting her Pokemon out of their pokeballs so that they could swim too, but she just wanted to spend time with Ash because she hadn't seen him in so long and didn't know how long she'd be able to see him this summer either. Continuing forward, Misty set Togepi down next to Pikachu in the shallow water. "Can you please watch after Togepi, Pikachu?" Misty asked.

Pikachu smiled at Misty and nodded. "Pika!" it said affirmatively.

"Thanks a bunch, pal." Misty smiled.

Ash stopped swimming for a moment and looked to the shoreline where he saw Misty in her swimsuit. Wanting to get a closer look, he swam towards her. Misty quickly tried to walk into the water so that Ash couldn't see her entire body, but it was too late.

"Nice swimsuit, Misty!" Ash said. As she entered the water, Ash blushed heavily and he looked at her up and down, paying particular attention to her breasts and thighs. Misty's blush got more intense and she decided to run into the water and dive in so that Ash wouldn't keep staring at her. Ash was somewhat disappointed at this and frowned slightly.

About a foot in front of Ash, Misty surfaced and took a deep breath full of the crisp forest air. Ash was surprised by this and backed up a little bit. "Woah, hi there." he greeted.

Misty blinked at him. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I scare you?" She asked.

Ash shook his head. "Nope, just surprised me."

Misty smiled at him and looked down at the water. She could see straight to the bottom of the river, where there was abundant seagrass and some stones and pebbles. "I can't get over how clean this water is." She said.

Ash didn't really pay attention to what Misty was saying. He was too fixated on how she looked while she was in the water. Her beautiful strawberry blonde hair complimented her pale pink skin and her shimmering blue eyes that were even more blue than the water that they swam in. Small beads of water speckled her skin that shimmered like crystaline freckles under the sun. Also, since the water was so clear, he could make out her body to a certain extent, especially her chest. While he examined her, he blushed again, starting to feel the same feelings that he had felt when he heard her moaning in the shower the night before and when he had accidentally walked in on her.

Misty noticed that Ash was looking at her chest and crossed her arms. This movement caused Ash's eyes to come back up and meet hers. Noticing that she didn't look particularly amused with him and that she was blushing, he went underwater and swam away from her.

_Goodness, some of Brock has rubbed off on him. _Misty thought. She smiled while she watched him swim underwater. _Oh well, he is a teenaged boy..._

Misty decided to follow Ash and went underwater as well. The water didn't sting her eyes or anything---that's how clean it was. She could see Ash's outline in the water and swam past him. Ash saw her swim quickly past him and was surprised again. _My goodness...How can she swim that fast? She's just like a fish!_ He thought. The two continued swimming underwater for a little while longer. They looked like two water Pokemon, swimming gracefully together.

Soon, the two surfaced and took a deep breath of air. Even though Ash was a boy and one would probably think that he was slightly more physically fit than Misty, he breathed heavily afterwards, trying to catch his breath, while Misty didn't need to catch her breath at all. Misty giggled slightly at this.

Ash grinned at Misty. "You sure swim fast... It's almost unhumanly how fast you swim." He complimented. "I mean, I know you're a water Pokemon trainer... but, did you take lessons or somethin' when you were younger?"

Misty smiled at Ash's compliment for a second, but then her smile slowly descended into a frown, like how a drop of water slides down a leaf. She realized exactly what he had said and what he had asked. Ash's question reminded her of her past---before she even became a Pokemon trainer... something that she didn't like to talk about with anyone--something that was very personal to her. She looked down at the surface of the water and stared at it for a few moments.

Ash was confused by her sudden behavior and blinked. "What's wrong Misty?" He asked, looking down at her.

Misty slowly shook her head and turned away from him. She swam towards the shore and walked out of the water quickly. Ash followed closely behind her. "Misty, wait... What's wrong?" he called out to her repeatedly. When Misty walked straight past Togepi and Pikachu, that's when he noticed that there was something seriously wrong. When Ash passed by Pikachu and Togepi, he grabbed Togepi and Pikachu quickly followed behind him.

Misty paced quickly towards a very large, old, fallen oak tree that was laying in the tall grass about twenty feet away from the lake. She sat down on the trunk of it where it had no branches and its bark was smooth, in contrast to the upper half of the tree which had branches and was still very rugged. Misty rested her elbows on her knees and put her face in her hands. When Ash caught up to her, she didn't bother to move. Ash sat down a few inches away from her and leaned foward so that their faces could be side by side.

"Misty... What's wrong?" He asked again.

Misty just sat there in silence. Ash stared at her and blinked in wonder. _Did I say something wrong? _Ash asked. He tried to remember anything that he had said or asked and couldn't think of anything in particular that would spark a reaction from her like this. For whatever reason it was, Ash didn't like to see Misty this upset and a large lump in his throat developed.

Then, Misty put her arms down, uncovering her face. She didn't want to keep Ash wondering and she didn't want to make him worry. Her face was not only wet from the water, but were wet from warm tears that streamed down her face like summer rain. Ash's mouth opened more and his eyes widened at the sight of her tears and the lump in his throat got bigger.

Misty tried to gather herself enough to speak. Like Ash, she also had a large lump in her throat and she tried to contain herself from breaking down again. After a few moments, she decided she was ready to speak. "I...I'm sorry, Ash." she said in a slightly lower, cracked voice.

Ash blinked at Misty and then he scooted closer to her. He wanted to put his hand on her shoulder so badly so that he could comfort her, but he was afraid. However, he decided to anyway.

"Misty... you've got to tell me what's wrong." he said. "I'm really worried about you."

Misty wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded, knowing that she had to tell him why she was so upset. "I-It's... a really l-long sto...ry." Misty warned, trying to catch her breath from all of the crying. She then looked at Ash. Her eyes were more blue and more beautiful than they had ever been.

Ash blinked at her. His eyes began to get watery. It was very, extremely rare for Ash to show this much emotion, but Misty was his best friend and it hurt him more than anything to see her this upset.

Ash rubbed Misty's shoulder and smiled at her. "I don't care if it lasts till the day I die... I want to be here for you, Misty."


	11. Somewhere Only We Know

**Depths of the Heart  
**

Misty looked at Ash appreciatively when he said that he was there for her. She smiled slightly and wiped away some of her tears. Ash rubbed her shoulder again and waited for her to begin her story.

Misty then sat up and took a deep breath. "Okay, well… B-back when I was a little girl, my parents took my sisters and I on a cruise. I think I was about seven, so my sisters were in their teens." Misty paused for a moment and gulped down, trying to rid her throat of that lump feeling. "Well, during the cruise, there was really bad weather. It was storming really bad and the waves were huge…" Misty began to cry again and the tears slowly streamed down her face.

Whenever he saw Misty cry, it was almost unbearable for Ash. Whenever she was sad, he was sad. As she told him her story, tears began to form in his eyes as well.

"And… W-well… My sisters and I were out on the deck getting some ice cream and my parents were in their room sleeping when the weather got really bad." The tears got heavier now. "And… The ship was rocking and everything…"

The tears that were forming in Ash's eyes fell down his face. Misty noticed this and her tears became more heavy, but she continued on.

"A-and… I wanted to go…Ughhhnnn… Sorry." Misty stopped for a second, pausing so that she could catch her breath and gather her emotions. "I-I… wanted to go back and get them, b-but my sisters wouldn't let me because they were afraid we'd get hurt."

Ash shook his head slightly at how sad the story was getting and Misty then continued.

"And the weather got so bad that… the ship . . . It… capsized." Misty frown deeply. "W-we were on deck, so we… survived. But my parents…my parents…"

Misty broke down and put her hands on her face, beginning to sobbing very heavily. Ash continued to cry, but pulled Misty in towards him with his arms around her. He tried to comfort her by rubbing up and down her arm, but he knew that nothing would help in the end. All he could do was be there.

Misty then looked back up. Her eyes were getting red from all of the crying. "And I don't know… I mean, I-I used to not really understand much. M-my sisters took care of me… But as I get older… It gets so much harder to deal with--knowing that… My parents are g-gone." Misty gulped. "J-just… whenever I think about my…my past, especially swimming as a child, since my sisters and I had to swim for a couple days before rescue teams found all of us… I always remember what happened and… get really sad…"

"Misty…" Ash said sympathetically.

Misty then looked at him and frowned… "I-I'm…sorry that you have to see me like this." She rubbed her eyes frantically.

Ash shook his head at her and blushed. "Misty… Y-you… You're beautiful no matter what."

Misty blushed at his comment and then slowly looked away. Ash rubbed Misty's arm again. "Misty… I know what it feels like… to lose people in life."

Misty looked back at Ash and into his warm, chocolate brown eyes.

"It is the saddest thing that can happen to a person---losing someone close to them." Ash stated. "B-but… You have to just know that… You'll always be connected with them in the depths of your heart…"

Misty smiled slightly at his insight. Her cheeks became a rosy red… "B-but… It's hard to just live with that and to not be able to see them again…"

Ash nodded. "I know… But, you have to. When you left Brock and I… I had no clue when or if I'd see you again…" Ash paused. "Just like, you don't know when and if you'll ever see… your parents again."

Misty nodded. "It's just… so hard."

Ash held her close again. "I know… But you will see them again… whether they are in your dreams, or something else, if you love them very much, you will see them again."

Misty smiled. "…I…sure hope so."

Ash smiled back. "I'm sure your parents were dreaming of you and your sisters while they were sleeping, and still are…"

Instead of making Misty sad again, Ash's comment encouraged her. Coming from anyone else, a comment like that could make her emotional, but from Ash… it was real and made her feel secure.

Pikachu was looking up at Ash and Misty with a soft smile on its face, while Togepi had fallen asleep in Ash's other arm. Ash decided to put Togepi down on the ground, however, because his arm was getting tired.

Misty smiled at Ash. "Thank you, Ash…" She said softly…

Ash nodded. "What are best friends for?"

Misty stared into Ash's brown eyes and blushed. She noticed how close their faces were to one another's, but she didn't mind that at all.

Ash looked into Misty's blue eyes and felt warm inside. In both of them, all the previous sadness was wiped away just by being close to one another.

Misty smiled and moved her mouth so that it was near the side of Ash's face and then planted her pink lips softly upon the smooth skin of his cheek. She left her lips there for a few seconds and then brought her face back so that she could look at him again.

"I really want to thank you…" Misty said again.

Ash's eyes were wide open and glistened under the afternoon sun. His cheeks were very red from the kiss and so were Misty's. "I'm sorry…" Misty said. "I just… really feel a lot of appreciation for you… I'm so glad we're friends."

Ash smiled at Misty and then touched his cheek softly where she had kissed it. "I'm really glad too, Misty."

Being emotional, Misty didn't really have much stature in terms of holding her feelings inside for Ash anymore. She felt ready to tell him about her infatuation. She felt ready to appease her covet for him that she had since she had met him at a river not unlike the one they were near now. She wanted to express her feelings… Spread herself all over him… She wanted to let it out and she couldn't keep it inside any longer. "A-Ash… I…have something I want to tell you…"

Ash blushed again… "W-what is it?"

Misty gulped again and blushed deeply. "…A-Ash… I never want you to leave here. I want to stay with you and travel with you…"

Ash smiled at Misty and blushed as well. "Misty…"

Misty held her index finger to her mouth… "Shhh…" She quieted him. "I…We've known each other for years now… and I've been wanting to tell you something else too, but… I don't exactly know how…I…"

Ash blinked for a second and then smiled at Misty. "Then don't say anything…" he said.

Misty blinked.

Ash looked into Misty's eyes and blushed. Her eyes were now as vast and as deep as an ocean and he could see deep inside of her heart. Misty could also see deep into Ash's heart, and felt radiance and love emanating from him. Both of their heartbeats sped up and their breath became faint and quick. Ash brought his face towards Misty's and Misty slowly closed her eyes as he approached her. His hands grasped softly onto her shoulder and the side of her face, and then, he planted his lips onto her, not her cheek but onto her lips.

The warmth that the two shared pulsated through their veins and through their entire body, especially in their most sensitive areas. Ash intended for the kiss to be only a kiss, but he didn't want to stop there, and either did Misty. An innocent, first, teenage kiss turned into a passionate frenching. Ash licked at Misty's lips and stuck his tongue inside of her mouth, feeling inside of her… Misty did the same too, caressing Ash's tongue with her own. Both of their cheeks were stark red.

Ash's hand moved from Misty's shoulder and slithered down her side. Misty softly touched Ash's thigh and moved her hand up and down it, which made shivers go down Ash's spine.

It was the most pleasurable sensation that either of them had experienced before. Not only was the kiss itself amazing, but the setting as well. The sun was close to setting and evening birds chirped and sang peacefully. There was a soft breeze while the two loved on one another, and sooner or later, they ceased their kiss, breathing for air softly. This serene place was now theirs... It was somewhere only they knew.

After the kiss, the two couldn't exactly exchange words because they knew they would stutter. Instead, they just smiled at each other and looked into each other's eyes for a long time, reminiscing about all of the times they had spent together as friends. Their relationship with each other was now officially enhanced and their feelings were out of the box, which was a huge relief for both of them.

As soon as the sun set, the two set out their sleeping backs and lied down next to the fallen tree. The entire night, they would turn over to make sure that the other was all right or to watch the other sleep peacefully under the moonlight. Togepi and Pikachu had fallen asleep as well, and were leaning against the fallen tree, snoozing away.

Ash was looking at Misty while she was sleeping and Misty could feel it. She soon opened her eyes and after she did, Ash didn't shut his eyes like he usually would because their was nothing to conceal anymore. He smiled romantically at her and she smiled back. Both of them wanted to say, "I love you" right then or engage in more romantic actions, however, there was plenty of time for that.

Misty smiled at Ash. "Goodnight…"

Ash blushed and smiled lovingly. "Sweet dreams."


	12. Ramen & Romance

The next morning, the weather was gorgeous. The air was slightly humid and was complemented by a soft breeze. The trees dances and swayed delicately. All of the Pokemon in the vicinity were out and about. The forest in the morning was absolutely ethereal, and Ash and Misty were truly grateful for how providing the place was to them.

As a result of the incandescent sunlight, Misty's large, cerulean eyes opened slowly. Her cheeks were a little rosy due to the heat, and the small beads of sweat that rested on her skin glistened under the sky. Soon, Misty sat up and looked over to make sure that Togepi was alright. With how caught up she was in her relations with Ash, she had almost forgotten about it.

Togepi was still sleeping quietly next to Pikachu. Both of them were still leaned against the fallen tree, and looked so peaceful as they slept. Misty smiled at them while she watched. Feeling romantic because of what had happened last night, Misty noticed that Ash and Misty's love and appreciation for one another extended beyond them and into their Pokemon.

She noticed that not only they were close to one another, but their Pokemon had also developed a steel-strong bond. How special that bond was almost brought tears to Misty's eyes, and probably would have if she hadn't cried all the tears her eyes had the previous evening.

Misty then looked over to Ash and jumped up when she saw that he was already awake and had been staring at her. After she gained her posture, she smiled at him.

"Morning, Misty." Ash said, smirking.

Misty blushed. "Hi."

Ash then closed his eyes and put his arms behind his head in a crisscross manner. He sighed deeply and then opened his eyes again. "It's a beautiful morning."

Misty nodded in agreement. "Yeah, sure is."

Ash then sat up and shook himself out in order to wake himself up completely. Misty watched him closely. For some reason, she just couldn't manage to take her eyes off of him. Not even for the slightest moment.  
Ash then stood up slowly and stretched himself out. After he was finished gathering himself, he looked at Misty and smiled. "So, shall we finish getting to Cerulean?" he suggested.

Misty smiled. "Yeah." She said. "I'm sorry we keep getting sidetracked."

Ash blinked at Misty and then shook his head slowly. "Misty, it's fine. I'm glad about last night." Ash stated nervously, blushing.

Misty's eyes widened and she then smiled. "Ha… Yeah, I'm g-glad, too." She said, blushing and scratching the side of her head.

Ash smiled at her again and then folded up his sleeping bag and stuffed it in his backpack. Misty stood up and followed Ash's actions, not wanting to make him wait anymore than he already had to. She knew that he wanted to battle people along the way to Cerulean city, and she wanted to make sure that his wish was granted.

Once the two were done getting backed, Ash and Misty walked over to their Pokemon. Ash kneeled down and rubbed Pikachu's head. "It's time to get going, buddy. Let's wake up." He said to his best friend. Pikachu opened its eyes slowly and groaned. "Pikaaa…"

Misty smiled and scooped up Togepi in her arms. The baby Pokemon opened its eyes and was definitely more adapt at waking up than Pikachu was, since it greeted Misty excitedly by waving its arms instead of just groaning and then walking behind Ash dizzily.

Ash and Misty then slowly walked away from the vicinity of the river. The two looked back at the area a few times, however, since it now had an extreme sentimental value to them. To anyone else, the area would just be an empty area with just a lot weak Pokemon and a lot of trees, but to both of them, it was the most special place in the world. As they walked further and further away, the two felt a certain satisfaction building up within them. It was a satisfaction with themselves for accomplishing what they had wanted to for so long—finally telling each other how they felt.

After the place that only they knew was out of sight, the two walked quickly out of the forest. As they walked on out, they encountered some Pokemon, but got away from all of them. Ash wanted to battle Pokemon, but of course, at his level he wanted to challenge at least wild Pokemon that were very strong if not Pokemon trainers. Misty tried her best to remain strong throughout the trip since they confronted a lot of bug Pokemon, and actually did pretty well.

Once they were out of the forest, Ash and Misty felt relieved. The air was a little less humid because trees weren't surrounding them in every direction and they were finally near Pewter City.

Hungry, the two decided to take a break and eat at a small Ramen restaurant just outside of the city. Both Ash and Misty loved Ramen, so they were both very happy. The restaurant actually wasn't much of a restaurant really, but more like a little stand or booth where people could sit and eat. The two gazed at the menu that was posted on the side of the stand for a while and finally decided what they wanted.

Since Togepi and Pikachu were probably awfully hungry too, they decided that they should also get food for them. Just in time, Ash also saw a note on the bottom of the menu that said if a customer brings an impressive Pokemon along, that they'd get a discount on their food. Ash knew that Pikachu and Togepi would impress him from the start, and smirked confidently.

The person in charge of the stand was a middle aged man. He was heavyset and had a stern face. His sternness was probably because he was so busy throughout the day. The Ramen was good, and it was cheap, so of course he got a lot of business.

"What'll ya'll have?" The man asked in his husky voice.

Ash looked up at the man. "Uh, I'll have the shrimp Ramen with some garlic in it please." He said. Being very hungry, he was already beginning to salivate.

"Okay, and what'yda want to drank?" the man asked.

"Oh, uh… Lime soda, please." Ash responded. "And can we get two PokeRamen meals for our Pokemon here?"

The man looked at Togepi and Pikachu. "Heh… Those Pokemon ain't really impressive, so yer gonna' have to pay the full price. No discounts for ya' like it says on the menu."

Ash looked at the man angrily for underestimating their Pokemon. Misty was also very disappointed, and decided that she'd say something about it. Especially now, usually Misty was pretty quiet about such things. However, she was perturbed by the man's rudeness.

Misty stepped forward so that she was near the man and looked him right in the eye. "Sir, you're very mistaken. Our Pokemon may not look strong or talented, but if you'd let us show you what our Pokemon can do, you'll be giving us free meals for a week!"

The man blinked at Misty. "Aha…AHAHAHAHAH!" He broke out laughing.

Misty didn't look amused and then she looked down at Togepi. Thankfully, Togepi was actually semi-aware of what was going on. The baby Pokemon had matured a lot while Ash had been away from Misty, which Ash was not fully aware of, yet.

While the restaurant owner was laughing hysterically, Togepi ringed its name and waved its arms back and forth in metronomic motion. Soon, its arms began to glow. Its eyes were crescent shaped, and little did the restaurant owner or Ash know that the delicateness that Togepi portrayed wasn't skin deep.

Soon, the restaurant owner began to glow the same hue as Togepi's little arms. Togepi began chanting its name in its high pitched voice and the man, who had been laughing, suddenly stopped and realized what was surrounding him. Soon, the man began to levitate somewhat. The man's eyes widened as he began to float in the air. Togepi was still moving its arms back and forth, and both Ash and Misty were astounded at its abilities.

"Woah, Togepi…" Ash gasped.

Misty had a surprised look on her face, but then her face became one that was very satisfied. She was proud of Togepi, and she knew that Togepi could do it all along.

"Okay! OKAY! Cut it out!" The man yelled, terrified of what was happening to him.

Togepi blinked and then its arms stopped waving around. The glow that surrounded the man and Togepi's arms diminished, and the man fell down to the ground. Unfortunately for him, he was about a foot from the ground when Togepi ceased its Psychic attack.

Misty and Ash giggled quietly after the man had fallen. Togepi cheered its name proudly. Pikachu was laying on the ground, holding its stomach in laughter.

"Ahah… Are you impressed now, sir?" Misty asked, happily.

The man slowly got up from the ground and looked at Misty in frustration. "Yah. But did ya' have to hurt me in the process?" The man asked, brushing himself off.

Misty blinked. "I'm sorry… I didn't even really know that Togepi would do that. I guess it really wanted to impress you." Misty looked down at Togepi and rubbed the top of its head.

The man sneered at the Pokemon. "Yeaahhh… Well, that things lucky I didn't tarn it inta' scrambled eggs!"

Misty giggled again. "Now, now. You wouldn't want Togepi to do it again, now would you?"

The man crossed his arms. "No… And now that ya'll've pretty much presented yerselves, ya' might as well damn tell me what yer gonna' eat."

Ash nodded. "Well, I told you that I wanted shrimp ramen with garlic in it… And we'll have two PokeRamen for Togepi and Pikachu." Ash prodded Misty with a smile on his face, signaling her to tell the man what she wanted.

"Oh… Um, I think I'll have salmon flavored ramen with lemon juice and a peach soda." Misty said. She was really hungry too, so she also began to salivate.

The man nodded and went in the back to make their food. "Okay, it'll be 'bout 5 minutes for me to whip all that up for ya'."

Ash and Misty nodded in content and went to go sit down at one of the three tables that were in front of the stand. The tables had large umbrellas attached to them, which were quite convenient considering the hot temperature and brightness of the coming afternoon.

Pikachu and Togepi were very happy now that they were about to get some food. Pikachu sat on Ash's lap and cheered its name, while Togepi wiggled itself out of Misty's grip and onto the table and also cheered in response to Pikachu.

"Haha… They're really excited." Misty said.

"Yeah… Well, they haven't eaten in a long time, so they must be starving!" Ash responded.

Misty looked at Togepi and Pikachu, smiling at their happiness. She then looked at Ash, who was looking off in the distance at the Pewter City gym, reminiscing about when he had earned his Boulderbadge. His hair looked so elegant as it swayed in the afternoon breeze, and his skin was smooth, despite the fact that Ash was now a teenager. He looked so handsome…

As she stared, her heart filled up with warmth. Her cheeks became a rosy pink. Even though she was usually shy around Ash, Misty felt more comfortable now, and decided that she'd compliment Ash, for once.

"You look… really nice today, Ash." Misty said somewhat calmly.

Ash blinked his eyes and then blushed… "Heh… Well, thanks…" Ash said. After a while of thinking about complimenting her back, he did so. "So do you, Misty… But, then again, you look beautiful every day."  
Misty blushed heavily and shook her head in disagreement. "No… You look… g-great everyday…" Misty said nervously.

Ash blushed again, slightly. "You know, Misty… You always give out compliments and cheer for other people, but now, you rarely accept them for yourself…" Ash stated. "And, it's so sweet of you to compliment others… but, Misty…"

Misty blinked… "What, Ash?" She questioned.

Ash looked away… "Well… you're a really great person, so you should take credit for the compliments that others give you…"

Misty looked surprised at Ash's statement, but then nodded slowly. She was happy that Ash had encouraged her, because he didn't do so very often. She was so much more happier now that everything was out in the open. Everything felt so… right.

"Hey, lovebirds. Ya' food's ready." The restaurant owner called out.

Ash and Misty smiled at each other and blushed at the "lovebirds" statement. They got up from the table quickly to get their meal. The ramen was so hot and good that it steamed. The smell of the food was so good and they couldn't wait to dig in. Ash grabbed some chopsticks for the both of them and his and Pikachu's Ramen, while Misty grabbed her Ramen and Togepi's Ramen.

"Hold on a second, sir… Let me put this down and then I'll pay." Misty said to the restaurant owner. He nodded in content.

Misty and Ash walked over to the table and set their stuff down, and then gave Togepi and Pikachu their ramen. Misty let Togepi sit on the table and eat because she didn't want it wondering off, but Ash set Pikachu's on the ground. Once Misty was finished putting her food down, she grabbed her wallet out of her bag and paid the restaurant owner. The meal was really cheap because of the discount and Misty made sure to thank the owner for his generosity before she walked away and joined Ash at the table.

Ash looked up at Misty while she sat down. He decided not to eat until she was ready, because he figured that would be the polite thing to do. He also remembered that he had forgot to pay the restaurant owner and his eyes widened. He pulled his wallet out of his pocket and got some money out, extending his hand out to the middle of the table so that he could use the table for assistance to get himself up.

Misty put her hand on top of his quickly and rubbed it. "No, Ash… I already paid." She said smiling.

Ash blushed when she rubbed his hand. "Hah… Well, thank you so much, Misty." Ash sat back down, slowly.

Misty nodded. "It's my… pleasure." She said.

Ash handed Misty a pair of chopsticks and opened his. "Ha… I can't wait any longer." Ash said.

"Yeah, me either. It smells so good." Misty responded.

The two positioned their chopsticks and brought the large strands of ramen to their mouths. Since it is polite to slurp ramen since it shows appreciation for the cook, Ash and Misty slurped away. The restaurant owner smiled satisfactorily while he cleaned off his counter and then walked to the back of the stand where he could cool down by a fan. After all, he didn't want to interrupt their "date."

"Oh, it tastes so good." Ash groaned as he slurped some noodles down.

Togepi and Pikachu were almost done with their meal since etiquette wasn't one of their concerns. Both of them had basically dove into the bowl of ramen and lapped it up like dogs. Even though Togepi was still a baby, it was old enough to feed itself now.

"Haha… Apparently Togepi and Pikachu think the same thing." Misty said, smiling. Ramen juice was all over her face, but she didn't care. After all, the ramen experience was intended to be messy.

"Haha… Yeah, they're almost done." Ash noticed. He looked back at Misty and smiled at her. "Would you like to try some of my ramen?"

Misty blushed at Ash's offer and she then nodded excitedly. Her ramen was very good, but she always wanted to try new things. "Would you like to try some of mine?" She asked back.

Ash grinned. "Well, that's the main reason why I asked in the first place." He said laughing.

An idea came into Misty's head right then. She wanted to share her ramen noodles with him, but in a certain way. She wanted to share them with him in the way that they do in romance movies, where one takes one end of the noodles in their mouth and the other person takes the other end and then they meet in the middle.

She thought she should ask for his permission first, but then she decided that it would be best not to. She wondered if he would like it or not, but then remembered that really any way Ash could get his food was an option to him. Furthermore, with all that had happened the night before, she figured it would be okay, or at least hoped that it would be. She wanted to pay him back for being so nice and encouraging to her before. Soon, a strong blush came to her face as she grabbed some of her ramen noodles with her chopsticks and gave them to Ash, holding one of her hands underneath so that juice wouldn't get all over the place.

Ash blinked at her actions and was confused at what she was trying to do, but since he really wanted to try her noodles, he took the end of the noodles in his mouth. Misty grabbed onto the part of the noodles that were hanging down and put them in her mouth as well.

Misty got up out of her seat and leaned over a bit so that she could slurp down the length of the noodles. Ash blushed as she leant in toward him, mostly because he could totally see down her shirt, and partially because he knew what was coming.

As she got closer to Ash, Misty's cheeks became a darker hue of pink. Misty slurped slowly and she feared that Ash would turn her down, but of course, he didn't. Ash slurped down the noodles too, knowing that Misty wanted to meet in the middle. Soon, Misty's lips met Ash's and they bit off at the noodles, swallowing them down before the two locked in a deep kiss.

Misty scooted around the table a bit so that she could be closer to Ash. Ash's cheeks were hot as Misty stuck her tongue into his mouth, caressing his tongue her own. Ash was stunned at how open Misty was being with him, but he was glad that she was being this way.

Soon after the kiss had began, Misty pulled away from Ash and then licked her lips while smiling at Ash. The action made shivers go up Ash's spine, and a permanent smirk was left on his face. After a few moments, Misty had realized how open she had been with him and blushed. "I… I'm sorry." She said quietly. "I…I've just always wanted to do that…with someone and… it felt like a good time."

Ash's eyes widened when Misty apologized and he slowly began to shake his head. "N-no." Ash said. He looked around to make sure that no one was in sight. They were in the area outside of a city that was very quiet because it was small and because it was still morning. Ash smiled at the serenity of the area and slowly leaned in towards Misty. He gently curled her strawberry blonde hair behind her ear, and Misty shook in pleasure.

Ash put his lips right next to Misty's ears and whispered. "Don't ever apologize for something like that… Misty."

Misty closed her eyes and moaned after he whispered into her ear. The warmth of his breath upon the side of her face was tantalizing. The feeling triggered an intense tingling in her most sensitive spot.

Ash smiled at her reaction and then lowered his face toward her neck, where he planted a delicate kiss onto her soft, warm skin. Misty shuttered when he kissed her, and Ash sat up back in his place afterwards, his eyes slightly dazed and his cheeks as red as the top of a Pokeball.

Neither of them really wanted to be this sensual in public, but they couldn't help themselves. The weather was beautiful, there was no one around, and Misty's "Lady and the Tramp" action caused sparks to fly. And it was only natural for the two teenagers to wish they were somewhere private and enclosed so they could continue their romanticizing, but they had to finish their food and their Pokemon, especially Togepi, did not need to see such things.

Misty opened her eyes and smiled nervously at Ash. The two kept their eyes on each other for a few moments with smiles on their faces and then looked away from each other. They didn't want any more to happen while they were in public. After all, young love is an uncontrollable thing, even when the lovers are timid about their feelings.

The actions between Misty and Ash had even been enough to pry the two starving Pokemon off of their bowls for a few moments. Togepi had been watching the two closely with its large eyes and Pikachu was staring at them with its mouth open. Pikachu had never seen humans engage in such actions before and thought that what had just happened was incredibly awkward. After a while though, Pikachu went back to shoveling in its ramen, and so did Togepi, Misty, and Ash.

The rest of lunch was quiet, but both Misty and Ash knew what was on each other's minds. The blush remained on both of their faces and the taste from each others lips overlapped even the most seasoned bite of ramen, and both of them savored the taste of each other's kiss even more.


	13. A Pewter Predicament

Afternoon was soon to come in the Pewter City area and the weather was getting a little more hostile. The breeze that flowed before was no longer there, making the air very humid and heavy.

The trees and bushes surrounding the ramen stand that Ash and Misty were began to rustle while the two and their Pokemon were finishing their food. Ash and Misty didn't notice the rustling, but Pikachu did, turning its head away from its food to see what was going on. As soon as the Pokemon turned, the rustling stopped.

The rustling was coming from who other than the infamous Team Rocket.

"James!" Jessie whispered intensely. "You've got to be quiet!"

James frowned at Jessie submissively. "Well, you're the one that wanted me to move! I'm being as quiet as I can, Jessie."

Jessie scowled at him. "Yeah, okay. Just shut up."

Meowth removed his binoculars from his face and looked at his accomplices with a mean face. "If both of ya' don't shut up I'll scratch the words outta' ya!" Meowth then smirked. "We wouldn't wanna to interrupt their date, now would we?"

"Of course we want to." Jessie said, smiling devilishly. "But we've got to make a plan to capture that Pikachu and maybe steal their ramen as well."

Meowth and James nodded at Jessie affirmatively and smiled.

Pikachu looked at Ash and then tapped on his arm. "Pika pi…" The Pokemon said in a worried voice.

"What is it buddy?" Ash asked.

Pikachu pointed at the bushes. "Chhhuuu…"

Ash looked at the bushes. "Is there something over there?"

"Pika!" Pikachu affirmed.

Ash looked around on the ground for a rock or something that he could throw so that perhaps whatever was in the bushes would come out.

Misty looked around as well, and thankfully, she found one right away. Misty leaned down to get the rock and then sat back up, handing it to Ash. Ash smiled at her and thanked her by rubbing her shoulder in appreciation, which, of course, made Misty blush again.

Ash smirked and then turned around so that he could throw the rock. Since Ash's throw was awesome since he had been throwing Pokeballs for several years now, the rock flew fast into the bushes. Ash and Misty only heard more rustling, nothing came out, so they went back to eating.

"Oww!…" Jessie whined rubbing her forehead. The rock that Ash had thrown hit her smack dab in the middle of the forehead. James and Meowth began to hold their stomachs in laughter, trying their hardest not to burst out laughing. Jessie growled at them and then pounced on top of them, holding both of them down with each arm.

"If you two hounds don't stop laughing, I'll punch you in the face!" Jessie threatened.

Both Meowth and James automatically stopped laughing, but smiles remained on their faces. Jessie looked incredibly mad as she sat up. She then grabbed Meowth's binoculars and looked at Ash and Misty.

"Ohhh… I'm gonna' kill that kid!" Jessie said angrily. She looked around her for the rock that Ash had thrown, and then found it. She leaned up a little so that she could get her arm out of the bush and then chucked it at Ash.

The rock didn't hit Ash, but instead hit Misty right on her chest bone and bounced off. Misty flinched in pain, since it hit her very hard and because she was in the middle of eating while it happened, she choked a little. Ash got up from where he was and patted on Misty's back. As long as he could hear her coughing, Ash knew she was fine. Togepi and Pikachu turned around from their food and gathered around Misty, making sure she was okay.

Misty stopped coughing after a little while, but the impact from the rock had caused her delicate skin to break and she started bleeding slightly.

"Are you okay, Misty?" Ash asked.

Misty felt weak after coughing that much and leaned back a little on Ash. She nodded to him since her voice probably wouldn't sound too graceful right then and then rubbed his arm in appreciation for his concern. Ash smiled at her while their eyes met, but then his eyes diverted to the bush. Ash walked away from Misty and walked over to it. Misty then sat up and rubbed her chest, watching over Togepi while Pikachu followed Ash.

The look on Ash's face was intense as he marched toward the bushes.

"Oh my gosh, here he comes!!!" James squealed as quietly as he could. He backed away towards a near tree trunk and the whimp curled up in a ball. Even though he was 22 years old and Ash was in his middle teens, James was still terrified when angry people came towards him like that, probably because he was around Jessie so much.

Ash parted the bushes and Pikachu ran underneath, being brave. Team Rocket tried to back up, but they were soon confronted by Ash and Pikachu.

Ash's eyes widened when he saw that it was Team Rocket, but he wasn't too surprised. "Hah, I should have known it was you." Ash said, crossing his arms. "You guys must really be flattered with us because of how much you always spy on us."

Jessie squinted her eyes at him. "You wish, twerp. We just want your Pikachu." She growled.

Ash squinted his eyes back at her. "Yeah, well… You've been trying for years now and you still haven't gotten it, so just leave us alone."

Jessie stood up and brushed some leaves off of herself. She then put her hands on her hips. "I'm afraid we can't do that."

James then slowly got up, slightly tripping over himself as he did. "Yeah!" He said in agreement. Meowth got up as well and sneered at Ash.

Ash's eyebrows bent inward and Pikachu held its stance on the ground as Meowth got up. Meowth took a step towards Pikachu, but then backed away when he saw sparks coming from Pikachu's cheeks.

Ash looked at both of them angrily. "Okay, well… I know you two are going to keep following us and annoying us until the end of eternity." Ash said. "But, the next time you throw a rock at Misty, you three stooges won't be chasing us anymore, I guarantee."

Jessie blushed and smiled, bringing her hands up to hold her cheeks and getting in her romantic pose. "Aww… The twerp is protecting his lover girl!" Jessie said in a high pitched voice.

James then got in a similar pose. "How shhwweeet!" He squealed.

Ash blushed heavily and his eyes widened in fury. He got close to Jessie and looked her right in the eye with his piercing, chocolate irises. "You do it again and you'll be sorry." Ash said. He made a fist while his arms rested at his sides and he began to tremble a bit. Pikachu could sense Ash's nervousness and his anger and also tensed up because of it.

"HAH!" Jessie laughed. "I'd like to see you try, twerp."

Ash scrunched his nose at Jessie and then kicked dirt on her boots. Ash then looked at Pikachu and jerked his head, signaling Pikachu to follow him back to the table. "Let's go, Pikachu. We wouldn't want to bring ourselves down to their level."

Thankfully, Jessie didn't notice that Ash had kicked dirt on her boots. She would have probably turned into a giant, raging Rhydon if she had.

Ash turned and began to walk back to the table. As Pikachu began to follow him, Jessie leaned in toward Pikachu and grabbed it. Ash knew that Team Rocket would try to take Pikachu and then turned around.

"Oh, no you don't!" A voice called from the distance. A Pokeball was thrown from an unknown angle and out of it came a Marshtomp. The Marshtomp looked very intimidating as it stared at Team Rocket.

The voice in the distance called out. "Marshtomp! Use Ice Beam and then Iron Tail!"

The Marshtomp nodded in content. Team Rocket looked confused as the Marshtomp stood there. They then became very scared of the Pokemon, even though it was only half of their size. Team Rocket then tried to escape, but it was no use. Luckily, Jessie dropped Pikachu in her hurry. The Marshtomp then began to develop sleet all around its body and worked up a ball of sheer cold within its mouth, releasing it very quickly towards the three villains. The three froze automatically due to the beam, and then the Marshtomp charged towards them. While it ran, its tail began to glow incandescently and soon, the Marshtomp hit the gigantic ice cube that was now Team Rocket with enormous impact, causing the cube to fly into the air and shatter along the way, causing Team Rocket to go flying into the air and out of sight.

"Team Rocket is blasting off again!!!!!" The trio hollered as they got a free trip to the next city.

Ash was astounded by the strength of the Marshtomp and then looked around frantically to try and see who this Pokemon belonged to. Misty came walking over with Togepi in her arms now that she had regained herself and was fine from earlier.

"Heheh… What would you do without me?"

Ash and Misty smiled when they heard the voice again. They knew who it was. It was their best friend Brock.

Brock had been standing behind a tree and came out from behind it. He smiled at Ash and then noticed that Misty was there as well. Brock smiled even larger when he saw Misty, since he hadn't seen her in a very long time.

"Hi there, Misty." Brock greeted.

Misty smiled at Brock gratefully. "It is good to see you again."

Ash smiled at Brock. "Thank you so much for rescuing Pikachu." Ash then looked at Marshtomp. "And thank you too, Marshtomp."

Brock smiled at his Pokemon. "Marshtomp has gotten pretty strong over the past week." Brock said.

Misty then looked at Marshtomp and smiled at it. "Is it a water Pokemon?" She asked curiously.

Brock smiled at Misty. "Oh yeah, that's right. You've never been to Hoenn." Brock remembered. "And yes, Marshtomp is a water and ground type Pokemon."

Misty walked over to Marshtomp and kneeled down. "Aww, it's so cute, but it looks so strong at the same time." She said happily. Ash blushed at Misty while she began to pet the Marshtomp and smiled at her in compassion.

As Ash stared at Misty, Brock noticed that something was definitely going on between his two friends. He could sense romance from a thousand miles away. Brock smiled at this, but wasn't all that surprised. Brock could always sense a faint love between the two Pokemon trainers as a result of his keen eye for romance.

Ash looked to Brock and then blushed even deeper, noticing that Brock had been staring at him the entire time. Ash's face then turned into a face of slight worry.

Brock smiled at him. "You don't have to explain. I know." Brock said. The smile turned into a smirk.

Misty got up from petting Marshtomp and smiled at Brock. "You know what?"

Brock crossed his arms and looked at Misty. "You two… You're in loooove, aren't you?" Brock said in a partially happy and partially saddened tone.

Misty and Ash both looked at Brock immediately and the color of their face reddened deeply. After a few moments, Ash looked at Misty with a worried look on his face and Misty smiled at him. Then Misty turned to Brock and with a solemn look on her face, nodded slowly. Misty didn't want to admit it to anyone and she wished that their new found love could have remained private, but she wasn't about to lie to Brock. Furthermore, she knew that both Ash and her trusted Brock deeply.

Brock smiled at Misty. "Oh, come on. You guys don't have to be so mellow about it." Brock said. The look on his face then began to become a little angry. Ash and Misty wondered why his expression had changed so suddenly and looked at each other in wonder.

Brock turned around and then began to tremble slightly. "You guys… have found someone who cares about you and is attracted to you. And when you do… You're all shy about it?"

"W-well… Brock, you see…" Ash began.

Brock turned around and looked at them again, his face covered in rage. "Grr…. DON'T YOU GUYS SEE? I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR LOVE FOR YEARS NOW…"

Ash and Misty were shocked by his outburst.

"Yeah, and you never get anything except for an occasional slap in the face." Misty said insensitively.

Ash laughed under his breath at Misty's comment, but then cleared his throat. "Er… Yeah, what's your point, Brock?"

Brock turned completely around so that he could look at Ash and Misty. "My heart is lonely and my eyes are dry from being void of love… And when my two best friends are granted with such a gift, they're not even glad about it." Brock said in a saddened voice.

Misty's eyebrows bent inward in slight anger. "We are glad about having feelings for each other. We're just not some pervert like you who makes their love and attraction open to the entire world!"

Brock looked surprised by Misty's comment. Ash looked at Brock and shrugged. "She does have a point."

Brock then nodded. "Yes, she does. I am a pervert. But, I'm just jealous…"

Misty and Ash's facial expressions turned from slightly frustrated into sympathy.

Brock crossed his arms and looked off into the distance with a melancholy look on his face.

Misty smiled at Brock and then got up, walking towards him. Ash followed along.

"Aw… C'mon, Brock." Misty comforted. "I'm sure you'll find your love someday."

Brock sneered at Misty as friendly as possible. "Yeah, well… I'd probably have a girlfriend by now if you hadn't pulled on my ear so much, Misty." Brock said. "I'm surprised I don't look like Pikachu by now."

Misty sneered back at Brock. "If I hadn't done that you'd get smacked in the face even more than you usually do." Misty commented. "Then you would have really looked like a Pikachu."

"Pika pi?" Pikachu turned around from playing with Togepi when it heard its name.

Ash smiled at Pikachu and then looked back at Brock. "I thought you were going to that breeder's camp?"

Brock smiled back at Ash and nodded. "Yes, it is in Celadon City." Brock said. "I just visited my father and I was on my way out of the city when I ran into you guys."

"Yeah, what a coincidence, huh?" Ash said, smiling.

Brock smiled and nodded. "And isn't it also a coincidence that this breeding camp is going to be in Celadon where the beautiful gym leader Erika is?" Brock said, rubbing his hands together.

Ash laughed at Brock's comment and nodded. "Sure."

Brock continued on about talking about women, one of his favorite things to do. If he wasn't hitting on them, he just had to be talking about them.

"And isn't it a coincidence that at this camp Officer Jenny's from several different cities will be there controlling the crowds?" Brock began to blush. "Oh… Officer Jenny… She can put handcuffs on me any day. And. Erika… Vine…Whip."

Misty rolled her eyes at Brock. "Goodness, you haven't changed one bit."

Brock blushed and continued to think about Officer Jenny and Erika. "Oh… I can't wait."

Misty looked at Brock angrily. "Then why don't you stop flapping your mouth about them and go off on your way?"

Brock blinked at Misty and paused. He then stood up straight and cleared his throat. "You know what?… That's a good idea." Brock said. "After all, I have to start my flirtation techniques as early as I can. I have competition."

"I'm sure you do…" Misty said in a monotonously.

Brock grabbed Marshtomp's Pokeball from his belt and popped it open, retrieving Marshtomp quickly. "Well, lovebirds… I best be on my way. It was good seeing you guys again." Brock said, smiling at his two best friends.

Ash smiled at Brock and nodded. "You bet. We'll see you at the Hoenn League Championships."

Misty nodded at Ash's comment and smiled at Brock. "Don't get smacked too much this summer."  
Brock smiled at Misty and winked at her. "On the face, you mean."

Ash blushed at Brock's comment. Any other time Brock made a perverse comment like that, Ash usually didn't think much of it or pay attention. He really didn't associate himself with such things and didn't really care what Brock said about his fantasies. This time, however, things were different.

Whenever Brock said a perverse comment now, Ash automatically thought about Misty. With all of their intimacy lately, it being summer time, and with the Hoenn League Championships coming up, Ash was definitely hormonal than usual. When Brock had talked about smacking, he thought about walking up to Misty and giving her a tap on her behind just for kicks, but he knew he couldn't do that. He also knew that he had to stop thinking about such things or else he might end up severely embarrassing himself in front of the person he just admitted his feelings to. He didn't want things to go wrong or too quickly when everything was going so right as of then.

Misty rolled her eyes again. What a pervert. Misty thought. Boy, was she glad Ash wasn't always perverted like that. (Or so she thought.) She wouldn't really mind it if Ash was sexually open with her, but if he ever jumped from girl to girl like Brock, Misty wouldn't know what she would do.

The three then remained in silence until Brock decided that it was finally time for him to be heading off. He smiled at his two best friends and waved goodbye. "Anyway, I'll see you guys in about 2 weeks."

Ash clenched his fist in excitement. "I'll train hard, Brock. You won't be disappointed."

Brock smiled at Ash. "I better not be." Brock said, smiling. "You too have a good time traveling, now."

"You too, Brock." Both Ash and Misty said in unison.

Brock smiled at his friends again and then turned around, walking in the direction of Pallet town where he could take the ferry to Celadon. Misty scooped up Togepi and Ash signaled Pikachu to follow him and then the two went back to their table.

"It was nice to see Brock again." Misty said, smiling at Ash while the two stood on the sides of their table, gathering their trash.

Ash nodded at Misty and then stepped over to a nearby trash can to throw his and Pikachu's trash away while Misty did the same with her and Togepi's. After they were finished getting situated, the two smiled at each other and sighed heavily.

"Why is it that we keep getting side tracked?" Ash chuckled.

Misty smiled at him and blushed. "I don't know… but, I'm kind of enjoying it."

Ash blushed at Misty. "I am too." Ash said. "Except for when Team Rocket was here."

Misty looked away from Ash when he mentioned Team Rocket and nodded sadly. She was still a little angry about having a rock thrown at her. The interruption was beginning to put thoughts into her head that Ash and Misty would have more confrontations with Team Rocket or other villains of their kind along their journey that had so far, been going so well. Sometimes, Misty wished that her and Ash were the only ones in the world so that they could just be together alone without any drama, but unfortunately, she knew that wasn't possible.

Ash looked into Misty's eyes when she looked away. "Are you okay, Misty?" He asked.

Misty looked at him with a smile on her face. "Yeah…"

Ash smiled at Misty and rubbed the side of her arm lovingly. Misty smiled back at him.

"Well, we better get going." Ash said. "I just want you to get what you need as soon as you can so that you can be comfortable."

Misty's eyes widened when Ash said this and then she blushed. "A-Ash…"

Ash blinked. "Y-yeah?"

Misty looked down at Togepi for a moment, but then looked back up at Ash. "Well… Getting to Cerulean on time doesn't really matter because… I know that you want to train and get stronger along the way… And, also because…"

Ash looked at Misty with a smile on his face. He was blushing.

Misty blushed even deeper. "Well… Being with you is more important to me than… that."

Ash was surprised at Misty's comment and blushed deeper. He now realized how much he really meant to her. He was more important than anything else in her personal life right now and he felt obliged. He also knew that he felt the exact same way about her, despite the soon-coming Hoenn League Championships. She was the person that kept him going… She was the water that turned his turbines… The gasoline that made him burn. She was his passion.

Ash smiled at Misty and then took a step toward her and kissed her lightly on the lips. Misty blushed very deeply and was at first surprised by Ash's actions, but was then fine. After all, the two were now indeed "lovebirds," according to Brock and the Ramen restaurant owner.

Ash slowly pulled away from Misty and then smiled at her. He then extended his hand out to Misty. Misty looked down at his hand and blushed, slowly extending her free hand and then grasping his gently and romantically. Ash smiled at her and then, holding hands, the two headed off towards the direction of Mount Moon; east, the direction of dawn.


	14. Spying on Love

As they had made their way from Pewter City to Cerulean City, Ash and Misty had decided to take the shorter route. Instead of going directly through Mount Moon, they curved around it and walked through a nearby forest, where Pokemon were abundant. The two had already almost made it to Cerulean by about 3 o'clock in the afternoon and after having walked so much, Ash and Misty decided they would take a break just outside of Cerulean, not far from the Cerulean Cave.

"Ahh… We're almost there." Ash said, smiling. He walked over to a nearby bench and sat on it. After he was settled, Pikachu jumped off of his shoulder and went to go exploring, walking around the bench and sniffing the scents of the Pokemon that had previously been there.

Misty sat down right next to Ash and then placed Togepi on the ground so that it could wonder around as well. Once Togepi was on the ground. Pikachu smiled and ran over too it, rubbing its cheek against the side of its body. Togepi smiled and rejoiced by ringing its name.

As Togepi and Pikachu interacted with each other, Ash and Misty smiled at them. They then looked back up and then looked at each other. Ash then smiled at Misty and put his arm around her so that he could rest it on the edge of the bench behind her. Misty smiled at his actions and blushed.

"So…" Ash began. "What's this thing that you have to get from Cerulean?"

Misty looked at Ash again. She didn't really want to tell him because she was afraid that it would cause her to get emotional, but she thought she would anyway.

Misty crossed her legs. "Well… There are a couple of things… I need to get." She said. She then paused for a moment and looked away. "I, need to get Gyarados because if I'm going to travel, I should have a really strong Pokemon with me… I mean Dewgong is strong, but, you know."

Ash nodded at Misty and waited for her to continue.

Misty looked at Ash in worry, but then smiled. "Uhh… I also need to get… A picture of my… family." Misty's face saddened.

Ash's eyes widened. "I… I'm sorry, Misty."

Misty looked at Ash and shook her head. "No, it's fine…"

There was also something else that Misty wanted to get, but she REALLY didn't want to tell Ash about that. It was something that she had kept from a while ago. If she were to tell him about that… He'd probably think she was a some weird freak. She definitely couldn't tell him about that. No way. Because she wanted to keep it a secret, Misty was glad she told him about the picture of her family first. Perhaps he wouldn't ask about anything else, then.

Ash could sense that there was something else that Misty wanted to get, but he wasn't about to push it out of her. After all, she was probably emotional over her family and he didn't want to upset her anymore or get involved with things that were private to her when she didn't particularly want to share them at the moment.

Ash and Misty sat there for a moment in silence and looked around them. The area they were in was so beautiful, with the lake behind them and trees surrounding them. Whoever built the bench they were sitting on must have been a love-genius, they thought, because the setting was very romantic. Wanting to break the awkward silence, Ash smiled and then lightly tapped Misty's foot with his own.

Misty looked at Ash's foot and blushed. She then tapped it back a little harder and Ash then smirked at her.

In the silence, Ash began to think about what had happened between him and Misty the previous day again. He just couldn't get it off of his mind.

He wondered what about him she liked so much. He wanted to know everything that she had ever thought about him and he wanted to know how long she had liked him. He knew that she'd probably be too shy to tell him, but because he really wanted to know and it was the perfect opportunity, he decided that he better ask now if he ever wanted to know.

After all, he had liked her for a while now. From the moment he had saw her, he knew that he liked her as a friend, and over time he did develop feelings for her as they traveled, but it was only when he was away from her that he realized that he was deeply in love with her. He would never have admitted it or shown it to anyone, but every day, he would think about her. While he had been in Hoenn, he missed her so much. He realized what he had let go after they had parted ways. He lost part of the love in his life and he lost the person that had drove him the most. Over the years, whether Ash had fully realized it or not, Misty had been the epitome of his confidence. He got stronger as a Pokemon trainer and a person not just so he could fulfill his personal dream, but so that he could impress her and perhaps their feelings could be mutual.

After contemplating a little more, Ash finally decided to ask her. He looked over at her and blinked.

"Misty… Can I ask you a question" Ash asked nervously.

Misty looked at Ash and blushed. "Uhh… yeah, sure."

Ash swallowed and then sat up straight. He took in a deep breath so he'd be able to ask her and talk to her as clearly as possible. Misty thought it was cute that Ash was getting so worked up over asking her a question, and smiled at him comfortingly.

Ash smiled back at Misty. "Uhm… Well, what do you… like about me?"

Misty's eyes widened at his question and she blushed. She then uncrossed her legs and rubbed them together nervously. She knew very well what she liked about Ash, but she didn't know if she could say it. She thought that even if she could say it and did, that it would be too intimate. However, then she thought that if Ash had the urge to ask about it, especially when he had been so nervous, that he wouldn't mind hearing all that she had to say, no matter how intimate it was.

"Um… Well." Misty began. "We've been friends for a really long time and uh… You're a really good friend and a really good person. You're very strong and confident and I really like that about you." Misty blushed heavily. She wasn't done yet.

"Is… that all?" Ash asked. Misty didn't seem finished.  
Misty smiled at Ash. "Uhh…no." Misty then looked away and began to kick at the ground underneath them. She needed something to put her nerve into, and she took it out on the dirt beneath.

"Also… You're a really nice person. You are very egotistical sometimes, but especially as the years go on, you know how to be considerate of other's feelings. You are really determined and you know what is important." Misty paused. "And um… Even though you can be immature and competitive sometimes, it is one of the things that… is so cute about you."

Ash blinked at Misty. He then opened his mouth because he was going to respond, but was then interrupted.

"Ah… I'm not done yet." Misty continued. She now decided to look Ash in the eyes, since she felt more sure of herself now after having said all of that. "And… you're also really charming sometimes. Y-you… Have a nice voice and um… even though you're younger than me… You're… really handsome."

Ash blushed at Misty's comment and then got closer to her face. "And… what makes me so handsome, Misty?" He smirked at her.

Misty blushed deeply at Ash's actions, but then jokingly frowned a little. "You know, you're really full of yourself, Ash."

Ash smiled at her again. "But, isn't that one of the things that you said you liikkke about me, Misty?" Ash said flirtatiously as their faces got closer and closer to one another.

Misty blushed even deeper. "Well… I guess." Misty said.

Ash smiled even bigger. "That's what I thought." He then backed away from Misty and the smile remained on his face.

Misty, really having thought that he was going to kiss her or do something, frowned a little more and then looked away.

Ash blinked at Misty's actions and then sat forward and turned his head so that he could look at her. "Do you want to know what I like about you?" Ash asked.

Misty blushed very deeply. "Uh…um… S-sure." She responded. She leaned back on the bench.

Ash smiled and then leaned back as well. "Well… You're a really awesome Pokemon trainer. I mean, you're a Gym Leader. I think that's really cool. And… you're really confident too, especially with your Pokemon skills. That's good to see in a girl." Ash said, smiling at her.

Misty smiled back and blinked.

"And… you're a really beautiful person, inside and out… You have beautiful eyes and you're especially now… you're very graceful and…pretty." Ash said, nervously.

Misty blushed deeply. Her smile became a little crooked from how embarrassed this was making her.  
"And… you have an awesome personality. You're so cheerful, yet you can be fiesty sometimes. No matter what, you will always be there for a friend. You're really supportive of others, yet you are confident with yourself at the same time. Not many people have that sort of balance, Misty." Ash paused and smiled at her. "And, you're really… caring for others. You've always been there for me, and you always have given me the strength… to go on."

Misty's face was beet red by then, but instead of looking somewhere off in the distance in total embarrassment, she was looking at Ash with a smile on her face. Her eyes were very warm as she looked at him, and lucid. Ash smiled at her passionately.

"You're my best friend, Misty." Ash said. "I don't know what I would do without you."

Misty nodded at Ash's statement and smiled. "I…I feel the same way." Misty said.

Ash smiled at Misty. Both Ash and Misty paused for a few moments. But then, Ash looked at Misty again and leaned towards her. "I'm… glad we talked about this, Misty."

Misty leaned a little closer to Ash and nodded. "Me too."

Ash brought his hand up to Misty's face and touched the side of her face gently. He noticed that it was really hot. Ash blushed a little deeper when he noticed this and smiled at Misty. "You're really blushing, Misty." He said in a deeper, musky voice. He leaned towards her a little more.

Misty smiled at him. "So….are you."

Ash smiled at her and then planted his lips on top of hers. He held her face in place while he kissed her, and Misty's hands fell to her side, causing Togepi to drop onto her lap. Misty then brought her hand up to hold Ash's face as well. Ash then stuck his tongue into her mouth, and the two interlocked into a deep, long kiss. While they were locked together, Ash let his hand slowly slither down Misty's neck and onto her bare shoulder, where he rubbed her gently.

Misty blushed deeply as Ash did this, and she wanted to do something similar to what he was doing to her, but she couldn't bring herself to move when he was touching her like that. She felt paralyzed because she didn't want to move the wrong way or do something absurd because she wanted to feel the smoothness and warmth of his hands upon her delicate shoulder for as long as she could. As he touched her there, she couldn't help but to think about certain things.  
_  
_

_Is he thinking about the same things? _She asked herself. _What if he is thinking about doing that now? What if he is thinking about taking my shirt off? He can't do that! _Misty didn't know what she would do if he started to take her clothes off. She thought that she wanted to be very intimate with Ash, but she didn't think that she was ready for that just yet.

Kissing and everything is fine and all… But what if he is thinking of having… NO! She couldn't think about that or do that with him now! They had just admitted their feelings to each other the previous day and while the two of them were definitely in love… Sex was something to be taken seriously. Something special. She wanted to share special things with Ash, but they couldn't do that now. After all, they WERE in the middle of a trail. Noticing that Misty was tensing up, Ash stopped rubbing her shoulder and then backed away from her slowly, and then smiling at her. _Perhaps I'm going to fast._ He thought. After a few moments, Ash noticed that a certain part of him was feeling a lot more sensitive than usual. He then blushed at Misty and smiled even more. _Man, I need to control my hormones._

After a few moments of silence, Ash and Misty both looked at the sky and noticed that the sun was about to set. They figured that they better finish off their trip to Cerulean City. The two got up off the bench and walked down the path in front of them for a few more miles until they were into the City. While they walked, they thought about what had just happened, and thought about the future.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Man…" The Rocket Grunt said after having watched Ash and Misty kissing.

A male Team Rocket Grunt and a female Team Magma Grunt had been watching Ash and Misty kissing on the bench, having hidden behind some rocks near the Cerulean Cave.

"They were really going at it." The Magma Grunt replied. She was very tall, probably near six feet, and had long golden brown hair. Her eyes were aggressive looking and brown. She had been looking through a pair of binoculars at Ash and Misty while they were kissing, behind them a face that was young, yet aggressive. Because they were undercover, neither of them were dressed in their usual uniforms. She was dressed in a red tank top and a blue jean skirt, and wore red sandals.

"Yeah, they were. I'll report in, you keep watching them while they head toward Cerulean." The Rocket Grunt said. He was a little taller than his female counter part, being about 6'3''. His hair was short and blonde, his eyes a leaf green color. He was very muscular, but had a slender build. He was dressed in a pair of baggy jean shorts and did not have a shirt on because of the heat. He wore black sandals.

The Rocket Grunt took a large walkie-talkie to his mouth and pressed the talk button while his partner continued watching Ash and Misty.

"Sir, we have confirmed that both Ms. Waterflower and Mr. Ketchum are indeed in an intimate relationship." The Rocket Grunt said.

A few seconds later, the deep, masculine voice replied. "Good. That's what we thought. Keep following them so that we do not lose track, but make sure not to interrupt them at any time." The voice paused for a moment. "If you do interrupt them or reveal yourselves, both of you will be severely punished."

"Understood, sir." The Rocket Grunt said in a somewhat worrisome voice.

After the Magma Grunt could not see Ash and Misty anymore, she took the binoculars away from her face and looked at her partner. "What did he say?"

The Rocket Grunt looked at his partner and nodded. "We need to make sure that we really keep a track on them, but we must not get caught." He said.

The Magma Grunt nodded. "Well, I know that the girl is the leader of the Cerulean City gym." The girl paused and then looked towards the Gym and smiled. "So, they'll probably be going there next."

The Rocket Grunt nodded and smiled at her. "You're right." He paused for a moment and then stood up. "Well, we best get going."

The Magma Grunt looked up at the Rocket Grunt and nodded, getting up as well. "Hey, what do you think we're doing this for?"

The Rocket Grunt looked away from his partner and looked towards Ash and Misty. "I think it may have something to do with a competition coming up in a few weeks." The Rocket Grunt paused. "But I don't know much more than you do."

The two Grunts began to follow Ash and Misty to Cerulean City, walking through the forest instead of on the main trail to avoid being noticed. Little did Ash and Misty know of the events that were going to happen in the future.  



	15. If We Hold On Together

**If We Hold On Together** - Diana Ross

Don't lose your way  
With each passing day  
You've come so far  
Don't throw it away  
Live believing  
Dreams are for weaving  
Wonders are waiting to start  
Live your story Faith, hope & glory  
Hold to the truth in your heart

If we hold on together  
I know our dreams will never die  
Dreams see us through to forever  
Where clouds roll by  
For you and I

Souls in the windMust learn how to bend  
Seek out a star  
Hold on to the end Valley, mountain  
There is a fountain  
Washes our tears all away  
Words are swaying  
Someone is praying  
Please let us come home to stay

If we hold on together  
I know our dreams will never die  
Dreams see us through to forever  
Where clouds roll by  
For you and I

When we are out there in the dark  
We'll dream about the sun  
In the dark we'll feel the light  
Warm our hearts, everyone

If we hold on together  
I know our dreams will never die  
Dreams see us through to forever  
As high as souls can fly  
The clouds roll by  
For you and I...

Copyright - Diana Ross - 1992


	16. Hooked on You

Soon, Ash and Misty had finally arrived in Cerulean City. Misty looked at Ash as soon as they were at the front gate of the city and smiled at him. Ash smiled back and blushed.Once Togepi saw that they were home, the small Pokemon raised its arms joyously and ringed its name. In response to Togepi, Pikachu raised one of its arms in the air and cheered. "Pika Pikaaa!"

Ash smiled at Pikachu and then began walking towards the Cerulean gym. Misty followed along. She wondered if her sisters would be at the gym. Over the summer, they would usually go on vacation, but since it was only early June, she didn't know if they had left yet.

Soon, Ash and Misty arrived at the gym doors. Misty swung her bag around so that she could take her wallet out of it and get her identification card out so that they could enter.  
Ash's eyes widened as soon as he saw the card. "Woah, you guys have identification cards?"

Misty blinked at Ash and then nodded. "Yeah, its for extra security. The Pokemon League requires every gym leader to have one now."

Ash smiled. "That's really awesome." He said. "But how do people get in if they want to challenge the leader?"

Misty smiled at Ash and then held her finger up. "That's a good question, Ash." She said. Misty then pointed to a button that was near the card swipe device. There was a scanner adjacent to the button and a speaker.

"Whenever someone wants to challenge the leader, they press this button." Misty said. "Then, an alarm is sent out in the gym to let the leader know that someone has come. The leader can press a button within their room so that they can view the challenger and speak to them through a small television-like device. After the leader's affirmation, the trainer needs to put their PokeDex up to the scanner so that their trainer's certification can be verified."

Ash blinked at Misty after she had said all of that and then smiled. "Wow. That's a really good security system."

Misty nodded and smiled. She swiped her card through the device and then the automatic sliding doors opened. While Ash walked through the gym, he looked around the gym in utter curiosity, while Misty just walked forward towards her room. Misty's room was the first room on the right, down the hall on the right since she was the main gym leader.

When Misty walked in her room, she put her card in her wallet and her wallet back into her bag. Misty still held Togepi and smiled at it as it cheered its name. It was happy to be home. Ash had still been in the hallway, looking around more. He hadn't been there in years.

Misty walked out of her room and down the hall to see if any of her sisters were in their rooms. Since not many people came into the gym over the summer, all of their bedroom doors were open. Misty looked inside each of them. The first two rooms were empty, but Violet was in her room, which was the last room.

Misty peeked in the room slowly, not wanting to disturb her sister. Once she saw that she was in there, Misty smiled. "Hiya, Violet."

Violet looked at Misty with a face of shock. She shrieked right when Misty had greeted her. Violet certainly wasn't expecting any visitors and Misty had scared her.

"Misty!" Violet said. "Oh my gosh! You like, totally scared me half to death." Violet ran her fingers through her long, dark blue hair, since she had broken a sweat. She had been painting her toenails a magenta color.

Misty smiled at her older sister. "I'm sorry."

Violet frowned at Misty. "Like, why are you here anyway?" She asked in her valley girl voice.

Misty's eyebrows bent in frustration when she saw that the first thing her sister had to say to her was so unwelcoming. Then again, her sisters weren't the friendliest girls in town, no matter how sensational they were.

"I'm here because I need to get something that I forgot. Do you mind?" Misty remarked.  
Violet stuck out her tongue at Misty. "Just leave me alone. You've already caused me to like, ruin my toenail... so just get out."

After Violet had finished her sentence, Ash stood next to Misty and looked in Violet's room. Misty looked at him with a frightened face when he did, because she knew her sister would freak out the moment she saw him.

Violet turned around from her feet and looked back at the door. "Mist… EEEEEEEEKKK!" Violet screamed.

Misty looked shocked when Violet screamed that loud and Ash jumped up in fear. Togepi didn't do much of anything since it was so used to shrieking loud itself and the hairs on Pikachu's back stood up because of how stunned it was.

"Wah-Why is there a BOY in the Cerulean Gym?!" Violet asked.

Misty sneered at Violet. She didn't really want to argue with her sister in front of Ash since he had been seeing her good side since they had been together, but she couldn't help it. "Oh, shut up! You have men in here 24/7!" Misty retorted. "I'll be damned if there isn't one under the bed right now!"

Ash looked surprised at Misty's attitude and blushed when he saw how angry she had gotten. Misty was seething furiously at her sister and Ash put his hand on her shoulder and rubbed it to try and calm her down.

Violet frowned at Misty. "Look, I may be like, totally gorgeous, but I'm not some girl that gives herself away easily like some other people I know!"

Misty squinted her eyes. "Yeah, like those two other hags that I have for sisters."

Violet looked away and continued to paint her toenails. "ANYWAY… Who is this kid? He kinda' looks familiar."

Misty smiled. "This is Ash. You've met him before, but your dumb self just forgot."

Violet rolled her eyes at Misty. "No, he's just soooo boring. That's why I forgot him." Violet said. "I remember him now." Violet paused for a minute and then a crooked smile became of her face. "Isn't he the one that's your booooyfriend?"

Misty blushed immediately and then looked at Ash with a worried look. Ash looked at her with a funny smile on his face, blushing. Then Misty looked back at Violet angrily. "Don't taunt me like that. Even if he were, it isn't any of your damn business!"

Ash rubbed Misty's shoulder again, trying to calm her down. Misty was quiet for a few moments while she caught her breath. Violet shrugged at Misty and then went back to painting. "Whatever, Misty. I like, don't really care about your personal life anyway, since it's probably totally boring compared to mine, so like, just get out of my room already."

Misty rolled her eyes at Violet and then walked back down the hallway to her room. Ash followed after her.

Misty sat down on her bed and placed Togepi down. She then crossed her arms unhappily. Ash sat next to her on the side opposite of Togepi. Noticing that she was unhappy, Ash put his arm around Misty. "It's okay, Misty. Just ignore her."

Misty nodded at Ash's statement. "I'll try to, but she just makes me so mad."  
"I know. But just think of her as being like Team Rocket." Ash said.

Misty laughed at Ash's statement. "Heh, she's worse than them." Misty said. "But, you're right… I'll ignore her."

Ash smiled at Misty and then rubbed her shoulder, then taking his arm off of her. After things had calmed down, Ash and Pikachu looked around Misty's room. The walls were painted a light blue and there were posters of water Pokemon on them. Her bed was a small, but very comfortable. She had a dresser next to her door and a closet on the wall opposite of her bed. There was also a window on the wall opposite of the door, where sunlight shined in. Her room was very tidy and there wasn't much in it. Ash and Pikachu admired the cleanness of her room and Ash knew that if it wasn't for his mother, he could never keep his room that clean.

While Ash and Pikachu had looked around Misty's room, Misty looked at her floor in thought. _That was really bad._ She thought. _I hope Ash doesn't think of me badly now that he's seen how angry I can get at my sisters._ It made Misty sad thinking about if Ash was perturbed or not by her actions. Her face reflected her emotions.

Ash noticed that Misty was disappointed about something. "What's wrong?"

Misty looked at Ash and then frowned. "I'm just sad about arguing with my sister." Misty said. "I'm sorry that you had to see that."

Ash smiled at Misty. "Don't worry about it." He comforted. "Everyone argues sometimes, you know? If you're thinking that I'm angry about it, don't. Everything is fine." Ash said.

Misty smiled at Ash and then nodded at his statement. "Thank you."

Ash smiled back at her and gave her a thumbs up. "It's no problem." He said. After a moment, he continued. "So, how long are we going to stay here?" Ash asked curiously.  
Misty smiled at Ash's consideration and forgiveness.

"Well, I'd you'd excuse me, I've got to get a few things from in here and then we can leave, if you'd like." Misty said sweetly.

Ash nodded at Misty. "Okay, Pikachu and I will go look at the tank." He said. Ash wondered why he couldn't stay in the room while Misty got her things, but he wanted to make her happy and comfortable. Ash got up and then looked down and smiled at Misty. "Oh, by the way… Your room is really nice." Ash complimented.

Misty blushed at Ash's compliment and then smiled. "Well, I try to keep it clean and simple." Misty said, embarrassed.

Ash smiled back and then walked out the door with Pikachu on his shoulder. "See you in a few."

Misty watched Ash as he left and then she touched her cheek, feeling its warmth. She then smiled at herself and quickly got up, not wanting to make Ash wait longer than he did. He probably wanted to get back to Pallet Town as quickly as possible so that he could visit more people and actually get to training for the Hoenn League Championships.

Misty walked over to her nightstand and grabbed the picture frame of her family that she had. She looked at it for a few moments and then smiled at it solemnly. Usually whenever she looked at the picture, she would break down in tears, but her discussion with Ash and being with him now made her feel much stronger inside.

She could handle seeing her and her sisters with her parents now. She could handle seeing her parent's smiles and the brightness in their eyes that reflected their love for each other and for her and her sisters. Misty closed her eyes for a moment and then put the picture in her bag.

Misty then walked over to a long, metal box that was on the top of her dresser. She pulled a key out from her bag and then opened the metal box, since it had a large, silver lock on it. Inside, there were six PokeBalls. Misty smiled at the PokeBalls and then took the first one out of the box, attaching it to her belt. It was the PokeBall of her Gyarados, which she would show Ash later on.

Misty had almost gotten all of her things. She just needed one more. Misty blushed while she thought about what else she needed to get and walked slowly over to her closet. She opened the closet door and walked inside. The closet was very clean, the close in it hung up and folded neatly. Near the ceiling there was a rack where Misty kept three shoeboxes. Misty reached up and grabbed the one on the right. She then held it tightly and walked out of the closet.

Misty smiled at Togepi as she looked at it and then sat on her bed next to it. Togepi stared at the shoebox and questioned what was inside of it by saying "Toge?" And looking at Misty with a curious face. Misty smiled at her cute Pokemon and opened the box slowly.

Inside, there were a few things. There were a few articles from the newspaper, one being an article about the Whirl Cup that Ash and Misty had competed in against each other a few years back in Johto. She also had some pictures of her, Ash and Brock in there. There were also a few sheets of paper in there that were folded up and a small diary.

Misty blushed while she looked through all of her things and when she reached the bottom, she came to what she had been looking for. There was a long fishing line and a large hook at the bottom, and Misty blushed even deeper when she saw it and picked it up. Togepi looked at Misty in wonder as she stared at the hook and line and wondered why she was blushing at something so bizarre.

Misty held the hook and line to her chest. She breathed in deeply and whispered to herself. "Ash…"

The hook and line had been the same hook and line that had caused Ash and Misty to unite so long ago. While Misty held the hook and line to her chest, she reminisced about what their first encounter was like. Misty had gone fishing that afternoon, hoping to catch a new water Pokemon for the gym, but instead caught something much more significant. She caught a boy… She caught her best friend… She caught the love of her life… She caught Ash.

The warmth that Misty was feeling through her body as she thought about it relaxed her deeply. The feeling had been so serene that while Misty was thinking, she kind of forgot that she was holding a piece of sharp metal really close to her skin and accidentally let her hand slip a little, causing the sharp, large hook to puncture her skin deeply.

After Misty had wounded herself, she gasped loudly in surprise. The hook had gone about a half of a centimeter in. Misty looked down at her chest, and it began to bleed.

Having heard the loud gasp, Ash looked back towards Misty's room and then walked towards it slowly. He didn't want to interrupt her or walk in on her or anything like that, so he was at first scared to walk towards and into the room too quickly, but then he thought that Misty could be hurt and he didn't care what would happen or what he would see when he walked into the room.

Ash hurried into her room and stood in shock when he saw that Misty had a hook in her chest and that she was bleeding. Ash had wondered what she had been doing with the hook, but there was no time for that.

"Hold on, Misty, I'll go get a towel wet for you." Ash said. He ran out of the room and towards the bathroom, where he grabbed some paper towels, got them wet in the sink, and then hurried back. Pikachu stayed in the room with Misty, making sure that she was all right.

Ash sat close to Misty on the bed and looked at her injury.

"I'm really okay, Ash." Misty said. "It only hurts a little."

Ash blinked at Misty. "Yes, but you're bleeding. We need to do something."

Misty nodded at Ash and then smiled at him. She was a little embarrassed because he was  
about to put a wet towel on her chest, but she couldn't think about that now.

Ash looked at the hook and then patted the area gently with the wet towel. As Ash patted Misty blushed heavily. _This is so embarrassing._ Misty thought. _Not only have I just managed to hook myself, but now he's touching my chest_. Misty really tried not to think of it in a perverse way, but she couldn't really help it. She felt so intimate around him that even the slightest movement or touch would make her think the wrong things.

Ash blushed slightly as he patted on Misty's chest, but he was thinking more about helping Misty out than getting any more involved. After he was finished getting the area wet and getting some of the blood off, he put the wet towel over his hand and then grasped the hook. With his other hand, he held Misty's skin so that it wouldn't hurt nearly as much when he pulled it out.

As Misty began slowly pulling the hook out, she groaned in pain. She tried to just think of good thoughts, like Ash's hands being on her chest now, to deal with the pain. After a few moments of pulling, Ash had gotten the hook out. He then placed the hook on Misty's near by nightstand. After, he placed the towel over the injury again to keep it from bleeding.

"Do you have any bandaids?" He asked Misty.

Misty smiled at him. "Yes, I have some in the top drawer of that dresser over there." Misty said, pointing to her dresser.

Ash nodded. "Hold this towel and keep pressure on it." Ash said. Misty nodded and held the towel tightly. He then got up and walked over to the dresser. He pulled the drawer out and saw some candy, a notebook, and the bandaids. He grabbed the bandaids and took one out of the box, walking quickly back over to Misty and sitting back down next to her.  
Misty moved the towel and Ash unwrapped the bandaid. He then slowly placed it against the wound and rubbed it on top so that it would stick to Misty's skin more efficiently. After Ash was finished he looked at Misty and smiled. "There. All better." He rubbed the side of Misty's arm comfortingly.

Misty blinked at Ash's kindness and smiled back. She then rubbed her chest. "Thank you…so much, Ash."

Ash smiled at Misty and then nodded. "It's my pleasure." Ash said.

Misty smiled again and then thought to herself. He may be a teenage boy, but he sure does know how to take care of things.

Ash looked back to the hook and line. He wondered what it was from and also wondered why Misty had been holding it so close to her for her to have gotten it stuck on herself. Being very curious, Ash asked.

"So, what was that hook? How did you get it stuck?" Ash asked.

Misty blinked at Ash and blushed deeply. "Ah… Well, I was looking at it and I was uh… Holding it close to my chest and accidentally pricked myself." Misty said.

Ash nodded. "But what is it? Why do you have it?" He asked.

Oh no… Now I've got to tell him. Misty worried. She looked away from Ash. Instead of just holding back, Misty decided that she would just go ahead and spit it out. After all, they were trying to be more open with each other.

"Well, uh… You see… That's the hook that I…" Misty paused for a second and blushed. Goodness, she was still such a little girl, she thought. Misty then frowned and she tensed her face up so that she could manage to actually tell him. "It's the hook that I caught you with!" Misty quickly blurted out.

Ash blushed and looked surprised at how hard that was for Misty to say. As soon as she had told him though, he understood what she meant. Even though he could be forgetful sometimes, he never forgot how he and Misty had met.

"Was that what you wanted to get?" Ash asked Misty.

Misty looked away and blushed. She then nodded in response.

Ash smiled at Misty. "Why?"

Misty looked back at Ash. "It's…embarrassing." Misty said.

Ash smiled even more and looked into her eyes. "Aww… Don't be embarrassed. Just tell me!" Ash encouraged.

Misty smiled and then nodded. "Well… It's… A good luck charm for me." Misty said.  
Ash looked surprised at this and then smiled at Misty. "That's really cool that you've kept that all this time, Misty." Ash said.

Misty smiled at him. "Well, I wanted to get it because I always take it with me for good luck and since we're traveling together, I want to have it." Misty said. "And it isn't really cool… It's really embarrassing. If you're freaked out, it's okay."

Ash's eyes widened at Misty and he shook his head. He then smiled. "Misty, I'm flattered that you kept it." Ash said. He patted his friend's shoulder kindly.

Misty smiled at him. "Well… I don't know. We're best friends and I thought it would be good to keep."

Ash nodded at Misty and smiled. "It is what brought us together…" Ash added.

Misty nodded at Ash and then got closer to him. "It is…" Misty said.

Ash smiled at Misty and got closer to her too. "I don't know if you know this or not, but that day… You saved my life."

Misty's eyes widened when Ash had said that and she blushed deeply. She never had really realized it, he was right. She had been so caught up with how he had stolen her bike and all that she didn't really have time to think about the extent of her actions. Misty looked away from Ash and down to the ground, thinking about it more.  
Ash smiled at Misty. "I owe you everything, Misty." He said quietly. "I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for you."

Misty looked back at Ash. Her face was very red. She smiled at Ash. "I feel the same way…" Misty said.

Ash smiled back and Misty and then leaned in towards her and wrapped his arms around her. Misty was surprised by this for a moment, but then wrapped her arms around him as well.

"Ash." Misty tried to get his attention. "Can I… go to the Hoenn League Championships with you?" Misty asked.

Ash pulled away from Misty slowly and then nodded. "Of course you can, Misty." Ash said. "I want you to be there. I want you to enjoy yourself and I think that maybe… I'll do better because I know that you'll be in the audience."

Misty blushed at Ash's statement and smiled. "I'll be there, then."

Ash smiled at Misty and then slightly bowed to her. "Thank you, Misty." He paused. "For everything."

Misty blushed again. "T-thank you, too… Ash."

The two sat in silence for a moment, looking into each others eyes instead of paying attention to anything else. As they kept staring, they were captivated by the feeling they felt.

It was a very good feeling. The feeling someone feels when they wake up after a long night of solid sleep, the feeling someone feels after finishing first place in a race, or the feeling that someone feels when they win a difficult Pokemon match. Because of the captivation, Ash and Misty moved closer and closer to one another. Their heart beats accelerated and their breath became more shallow. Their lips were almost touching when…

BRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGG…

The alarm at the front entrance of the gym sounded. Misty turned away from Ash, even though they had been so hooked on each other in that moment, and then pressed the receiver that was inside of her room that she had mentioned to Ash before.

Ash, Misty, Togepi, and Pikachu all gathered around the receiver and waited for a response to come. A few moments later, the face of one of Ash's other old friends appeared. Having grown up so much, Ash almost didn't recognize him and either did Misty. But after looking at him more, they noticed how spiky his hair was, how dark his blue eyes were, and his ying-yang necklace. Yes, it had to be him, Ash's infamous and long-time rival, Gary Oak.  



	17. Perfect Practice

As soon as Ash noticed that Gary Oak was at the main door of the building he was in, he felt a storm of both excitement and rage build up inside of him. He hadn't seen Gary in a while. It had been months, if not years.

Misty looked at Ash when Gary had appeared and saw arrogance and power written all over his face. Ash had gone from being completely intimate to being competitive in a matter of minutes. Misty liked that about Ash. Even though he was easily distracted and hyperactive a lot of the time, those two traits made him resilient.

Ash looked at Misty, waiting for her to welcome Gary into the Gym. He smiled at her almost like how a child smiles at their mother when they want to buy a puppy. Once Misty had noticed this, she knew what Ash wanted. Now was the time that training for the Hoenn League Championships would begin.

"Hi Gary." Misty said to him, smiling.

Gary smiled. "Hi Misty." Since there was no TV on the security device that let Gary see what was going on inside the Gym, he had no idea that Ash was there.

Misty wanted to tell Gary that Ash was there, but then she thought it would probably better for it to remain a surprise. "So, what are you here for, Gary?" Misty asked, smirking at Ash.

"I was in town, so I thought I'd drop by for a talk and maybe a Pokemon battle with you, since its been a while." Gary said.

Ash had no clue that Misty and Gary had become friends. He looked at Misty questioningly. Misty was about to answer him, but she didn't want Gary to know that Ash was there.

"Uh, you can come in Gary. Show your ID and all should be clear." Misty said. She then turned the front communication off and looked at Ash. "A few months ago, he came by wanting to talk and he asked about you."

Ash blinked at this and then smiled. Gary must really be lookin' for a battle. Ash thought to himself. The testosterone in him was beginning to rise and the adrenaline pulsated through his veins. Not only would he be battling his absolute nemesis, but he would be doing it in front of the girl in which he loved. The drama of it all got him going. He looked at Pikachu and grabbed it off of his shoulder, holding it in the air and smiling at it. "This is going to be it Pikachu! This is what we came to Kanto for." Ash said frenetically.

Pikachu growled its name intensely and small electric sparks began to fly from its cheeks. Pikachu was pumped.

Misty smiled at Ash and Pikachu while they stood in their glory, but then tapped Ash on his shoulder. "Let's go over to the Arena, Ash." Misty said confidently.

Ash nodded at Misty and grinned. The two trainers stood up and walked out of Misty's room, Togepi cradled as always in Misty's arms and Pikachu atop Ash's shoulders, now feeling as if it was atop the tallest peak in the world.

After walking down the hallway, Ash and Misty had made it to the Arena doors. Misty opened the large door, holding it open for Ash.  
Ash walked into the Arena and looked around the large room. On the bleachers, he saw his rival. As soon as Ash was in the light, their eyes met, piercing each other like knives.

Gary smirked at Ash and then jumped down from the bleachers. "Well, if it isn't Ash." Gary said in his somewhat geeky voice that had actually deepened slightly.

Ash nodded and smirked back. "Yup. It's me." Ash said. He was in a totally different mindset now that he was focused on Pokemon training. Even looking at a picture of Gary would cause him to tense up and break a sweat.

After a few moments, Gary was in front of Ash. The two were looking at each other kind of like how two wolves look at each other before a fight. Misty stood a few feet behind Ash, watching the two rivals meet again.

"So, have you gotten any better at Pokemon training since the last time we saw each other?" Gary asked.

Ash smirked confidently. "Of course, I have."

Misty smiled at Ash's confidence. Even though Ash was an arrogant person at times, she thought that it was good that he was like that. It gave him so much more drive and determination.

Gary smiled at Ash. "Well, words are just words. That could be big talk for all I know, Ash."

Ash clenched his fists in front of him. "Well, I'd love to battle you so you can find out."

Misty blinked and then remembered something. The last time Ash and her had met, Gary was aspiring to be more of a Pokemon researcher than a Pokemon master. Misty wanted to ask about this before Gary responded.

"But, aren't you a Pokemon researcher now, Gary?" Misty asked.

Gary smiled at Misty. "I am. But I've also decided to pick up training again, unfortunately for Ash."

Ash smirked at Gary. "So, I take that as a challenge?"

Gary laughed. "You bet."

Ash smiled. "Good, because I have training to do for the Hoenn League Championships, as Professor Oak may have told you."

Gary laughed. "He told me. But, you're going to need a heck of a lot more than one Pokemon battle, but I suppose a Pokemon battle against me will be more useful than any of your independent training."

Ash grunted at Gary. "Yeah, you just wait and see. I'm going to win."

Ash grinned widely and then looked out onto the Arena. The Area was so huge and beautiful that Ash wanted to battle Gary there, but he didn't know if it would be all right with Misty. After all, Misty was the Gym leader. He was obliged to ask for her permission.

Ash turned around to Misty and smiled. "Misty." Ash blushed. "Is it all right if we battle in here?"

Misty smiled at Ash and nodded. "Of course." Misty said. "I can referee if you want."

Ash smiled at Misty thankfully and then turned back around. "Let's do it, Gary." Ash said, gritting his teeth.

Gary laughed and then nodded at Ash.

Ash looked up at Pikachu, who was on his shoulder and scratched its head. "Pikachu, you go rest on the sidelines with Misty for now, okay?" Ash suggested. Pikachu nodded at its best friend, shouting, "Pika!" before it jumped off of Ash's shoulder and ran over to Misty.

As Gary and Ash got onto their places on the battlefield, Misty walked over to a room on the side of the Arena and got a flag and a small pamphlet that contained the Pokemon League's rules and regulations for refereeing just in case she needed it, while Pikachu followed behind her. After all, this was going to be a huge match for Ash, so she wanted to make sure that she was prepared. As she walked out of the room and back into the Arena, she thought about how sudden the battle had been, but then she remembered that this was Ash and Gary she was dealing with. The two were like gasoline and fire, and would ignite the moment they were in the vicinity of each other. Plus, with the Hoenn League Championships coming up, Ash was more than ecstatic.

As soon as Ash and Gary were situated, both of them looked at each other with fire in their eyes. Both of them grasped onto one of the PokeBalls that was on their belts and were in a competitive stance. Misty climbed up on the referee box and Pikachu followed along. Misty set Togepi down on a bench that was in the referee box, and Pikachu sat next to Togepi.

When Misty looked out to the Arena, she noticed that both Gary and Ash had their eyes on her now. She smiled and bowed at them before she would begin announcing the properties and rules of the battle that was about to commence.

"According to the League rules and regulations for the Cerulean City Gym, each of you are permitted to use only two Pokemon, one at a time." Misty began. "The result of the match is final."

Ash and Gary nodded simultaneously at her words and took the PokeBalls off of their belts.

Misty smiled and then held up her flag, which matched the color of the water in the Gym. "At this time, the match between Ash Ketchum and Gary Oak of Pallet Town will now begin! Gooo!" Misty cheered.

Ash and Gary smirked and then threw their PokeBalls up into the air.

"I choose you, Sceptile!" Ash shouted.

"Heheh. I choose you, Blastoise!" Gary shouted in response.

Ash and Gary caught their PokeBalls again once the flash of crimson red light appeared and their Pokemon were summoned.

"You're going to use Blastoise even though it has a type advantage?" Ash asked, with wide eyes.

Gary smirked at Ash. "Yes, I am. It doesn't really matter. My Blastoise is still stronger than your Sceptile."

Ash squinted his eyes. "You wish, Gary." Ash smirked. "Sceptile, use Agility!" Sceptile cried its name confidently and then glowed a bright green color. It quickly dashed around in a sort of dance that allowed it to practice its speed. Afterwards, the Sceptile cried out its name again, its speed stat increasing by a considerable amount.

Gary smirked at the Sceptile's speed. "Well, if they're going to be defensive, Blastoise, then use Withdraw!"

The Blastoise nodded at its trainer's command and bent over slightly, then sticking its head and appendages out slightly and then drawing them into its shell. The Blastoise would remain like that until its opponent drew its next move.

Misty watched the battle with an excited smile on her face. Of course, she was definitely rooting for Ash. As Togepi and Pikachu sat near her, the two cheered in delight.

Ash squinted his eyes at Gary's move. He then pointed at the Blastoise and yelled out his next command. "Sceptile! Use Sunny Day!"

The Sceptile tensed its body in response and its eyes turned yellow and became as bright and intense as the sun. Its entire body became incandescent, and the sunlight that was flowing in through the windows in the Gym caused the temperature of the Gym to become very hot, the water beginning to steam slightly. All of the sunlight that was entering the Gym was attracted towards Sceptile as it took it in and built up energy in preparation for its next attack.

Gary smirked at Sceptile's move and knew what was coming. "Blastoise come out of your shell and use Skull Bash."

Gary's Blastoise got out of its shell in order to strengthen itself. It tensed itself up in preparation for the attack and flexed its arm and shoulder muscles. The two Pokemon were about 30 feet away from each other, so Blastoise really needed to work up the versatility to hit Sceptile before it could move. The Blastoise stepped a few feet closer to the Pokemon and withdrew itself again. It's shell immediately began to glow afterwards and then levitated. The Blastoise then threw itself at the Sceptile like a frisbee with amazing agility and power.

Ash gritted his teeth at the oncoming move. "Sceptile, dodge it!!" Ash yelled out. The Sceptile was still using Sunny Day. Unfortunately for Ash, the Sceptile was so focused on causing the sun to shine more brightly that it was totally oblivious to his commands. Within seconds, Sceptile was hit by Blastoise's powerful Skull Bash and skidded on the arena about 20 feet from the force. The Blastoise quickly got out of its shell again and landed on the ground gracefully in front of Ash's Pokemon.

"Sceptile!" Ash cried out.

Gary crossed his arms and smirked arrogantly. But then when he took a closer look at his Blastoise, that smirk descended into a frown.

Because Sceptile had been glowing during the Sunny Day mechanism, Sceptile's entire body was incredibly hot when the Blastoise attacked. It had been so hot that the cannons on Blastoise's back that weren't retracted before the attack were a molten orange color in some spots. Blastoise's shell was also charred in some places and even though its appendages had been withdrawn, the Pokemon had small burns on its skin.

Ash noticed that the Blastoise had been heavily damaged during the attack and smiled, however, he then diverted his sight back to Sceptile, who had struggled to get back up after the powerful attack. Its eyes were still glowing, but its body wasn't. The Bash had caused Sceptile to develop a bruise on its chest.

Ash cheered when Sceptile had gotten back up and then pointed towards the Blastoise quickly in retaliation. "Sceptile! It's time for Solarbeam!"

Sceptile nodded at Ash's command and then its eyes glowed even more brightly. Like Blastoise, it tensed its body up as well, trying to work up as much energy as it could from the sunlight it had brought into the gym.

Gary's eyes widened in disbelief at how strong Ash's Sceptile was. He then automatically commanded Blastoise to get in the water in order to dodge the next attack in a very nervous, yet booming voice. He knew that if this attack were to hit, Blastoise would no longer be able to battle.

Blastoise quickly withdrew itself and Frisbee-ed into the water. The Pokemon dove deep down into the depths of the gym and sat at the bottom of the pool. Misty nodded at Gary's strategy, but gulped because she didn't want all of the energy Sceptile had just summoned to be wasted.

Once Sceptile was finished tensing itself and working up all of that energy, Sceptile looked around the gym for Blastoise. When it saw that it was sitting at the bottom of the pool, it bent down and stuck its head in the water. Its mouth, by now, was already beginning to glow a neon green. Soon, Sceptile released the beam into the water, making a sound so loud that it hurt Ash, Misty, and Gary's ears.

The Beam was extremely intense and caused the water to glow a radium green. The Blastoise couldn't avoid the attack. It was impossible. The heat from the laser-like beam evaporated the water and caused the gym's humidity level to rise. The entire arena became incredibly foggy, but then cleared up after a few minutes after Misty turned the vent system on by pressing a button on the referee's stand.

Both Ash and Gary ran over to where Sceptile was and looked down at Blastoise. Since the pool was 30 feet deep, they couldn't see it too well, but the Pokemon was motionless and steam was coming off of its body. Misty looked at the TV on the referee box that they had recently installed, that allowed the referee to see into the pool if they needed to. Each of them saw Blastoise try to weakly get up from where it was laying, but it quickly fell back down, and remained motionless.

Sceptile wasn't doing so well either. The strong grass Pokemon had used all of its energy to use that Solarbeam attack and was shaking in pain. The Pokemon was breathing heavily and was trying to maintain its stance, but soon fell over similarly to how Blastoise did, and remained motionless.

Misty smiled at the turn out of the battle. She had wanted Ash to win of course, but a draw was definitely much better than losing. She held up two flags, one towards Gary, one towards Ash and stood up. "This battle is a draw! The winner of the overall battle between Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town and Gary Oak of Pallet down will be determined within the next round!"

Ash took his Pokeball off his belt and recalled Sceptile. He seemed a little disappointed, but he would be okay. After all, anything but losing was alright with him and he was proud that he had battled his best.

Gary, on the other hand, was a little less neutral about it. He quickly recalled Blastoise and then attached the Pokeball to his belt. Afterwards, he frowned and crossed his arms. "Nice work, Ash." Gary said smugly. He closed his eyes in satisfaction. After a moment, however, he opened them again and a fierce look was in his eyes. "But you'll have to try harder this round if you want to beat me!"

Ash smirked at Gary and nodded. "I don't think that will be a problem!"

Misty rolled her eyes at the two arrogant teenage boys. "Hold your horses!" She called out. "It's gym regulations that I fill this pool up again before we continue."

Ash and Gary frowned at Misty and then nodded. "…Alright. Sorry…" Both of them said in unison.

Misty nodded and then pressed another button on the referee stand. Large tubes came out of the sides of the pool and began to quickly fill it with water. Within about 2 minutes, the pool was full again because the tubes were abundant, large, and powerful.

Misty smiled at Ash and Gary. "Okay. Round two of the battle between Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town and Gary Oak of Pallet Town will now begin!"

Ash smiled at Misty and then looked over to Pikachu, who was sitting right next to her. Ash had that certain look in his eyes---a look that was fierce. Pikachu noticed this and jumped off the referee stand. Pikachu knew that Ash wanted it to fight Gary's next Pokemon without any verbal communication. The two were just connected like that. Pikachu quickly ran across the arena and then stopped in front of Ash.

Ash smiled at his number one Pokemon companion and nodded. Pikachu took its stance and got on all 4's, looking at Gary with an intimidating face.

Gary laughed at Pikachu and rolled his eyes. "PLEASE!" Gary blurted. "This is going to be TOO easy. You might as well forefit right now, Ash."

Ash sneered at Gary. "I'd rather die first." Ash growled. "Now are you going to call out your Pokemon or keep making fun of Pikachu and I?"  
Gary frowned at Ash's remark. He then took a Pokeball from his belt and threw it up into the air. After the red flash, one of Gary's first Pokemon and one of Gary's strongest, his Umbreon, appeared.

Ash smiled at Umbreon. "Ah, so we're both using our very first Pokemon."

Gary smiled back. "Yes, that's what I intended, obviously."

Misty rolled her eyes and then sighed. "Ugh… can't they just get started?"

Ash noticed Misty's impatience and then tensed up, ready for battling. "Okay, buddy. We'll start things off since we're much faster than that Umbreon anyway! Use Agility!"

Pikachu cried out its name affirmatively and then ran towards Umbreon at top speeds. While it did so, it relaxed all of its muscles and felt as if it were flying through the air as a result of the defense mechanism being used. Pikachu then stopped about 5 feet in front of the Umbreon and then breathed heavily so that it could feed its muscles all the oxygen they needed before it would make its next move.

Gary smiled and pointed at Pikachu. "Umbreon, use Faint Attack!" It was a good call, especially for how close Pikachu already was to Umbreon.

Umbreon vanished slowly into the air. Crying its name softly as it did.

"Dodge it, Pikachu!" Ash called out. He knew that the attack called had perfect accuracy, but had some hope after speeding things up with Agility.

Moments before Gary's Umbreon would hit Pikachu with its attack, Pikachu darted up into the air and jumped back so that it was right in front of Ash. When the Umbreon reappeared only as its black silhouette and tried to hit something with its dark attack, there was no target.

"Hah!" Ash laughed in confidence.

Gary's mouth gaped open in disbelief at how fast Pikachu had been and blinked.

Ash smiled over at Misty confidently and then pointed towards Umbreon. "Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"

Pikachu nodded and quickly darted over to Umbreon. It was so fast that it left trails of dust and smoke behind it. When it slowed down, Pikachu's tail was already glowing and it jumped into the air quickly and whacked Umbreon with its hot, glowing tail right on the side of its face, causing the Umbreon to be knocked onto the ground with astounding force.

Gary frowned and growled under his breath. "Aghhh… Umbreon! Get up!" He commanded. Umbreon did so without hesitation, but kept its head hung low because of the amount of pain it was in. Pikachu bounced back so that it was in front of Ash.

"Umbreon, use Fake Tears!" Gary called out.

Umbreon nodded and then began to cry its name incessantly. It was very loud and hurt Pikachu's sensitive ears. Tears began to slowly drip down its face and its entire body was quivering. Pikachu blinked at Umbreon, watching it cry.

"Don't fall for it, Pikachu!" Ash yelled.

But it was too late. After a harsh attack like that to Umbreon, Pikachu was vulnerable to paying attention to whatever Umbreon's reaction was and Pikachu was a little confused at whether this was a reaction or an actual attack. Due to its confusion and slight sympathy for the Umbreon, Pikachu's special defense harshly fell. The mechanism was also so intense that it was not only a defensive one, but an offensive one as well, hurting Pikachu's ears greatly due to the loudness.

Ash clenched his fist at this. "Ugh, Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu stopped focusing on Umbreon's crying and then began to work up energy within its cheeks. Small cracks of electricity appeared on its cheeks and within seconds, Pikachu threw its powerful thunderbolt attack at Umbreon with incredible agility and accuracy. Because of how precise it was, there was no way Umbreon, a slow Pokemon to begin with, could dodge it and it took the hit.

"Umbreon!" Gary called out as Umbreon was surrounded by electricity and could feel each volt surging through its body.

After the thunderbolt attack ceased, Umbreon stumbled a bit, but did not fall. Because of the intensity of the attack, it was smoking slightly. However, Umbreon still had a lot of fight in it and so did Pikachu.

Gary smiled at how much Umbreon was enduring and pointed again at Pikachu. "Now, Umbreon… It's time for Assurance!" Gary yelled.

Umbreon nodded and quickly jumped onto Pikachu. Even though it was a slow Pokemon, when it had the opportunity to damage its foe, it tried its best to be as agile as possible, especially in stressful situations. Umbreon smirked at Pikachu and then its eyes glowed a terrible red and its body became dark. Because Pikachu had gone through damage with Umbreon's previous Fake Tears mechanism, the Assurance attack's damage was doubled. Umbreon slammed both of Pikachu's ears down with its paws and pushed down on them so that they were pinned against the ground.

As Umbreon was abusing Pikachu's ears, Ash stared, startled. Misty watched closely, making sure that nothing against the rules was being done. After a few moments of pressing Pikachu's ears down, Umbreon got off of Pikachu and its eyes and body returned to their normal colors.

Pikachu lied on the ground for a moment, crying its name quietly. Its ears were hurting so much that it could barely hear. Pikachu struggled to get up, but did.

Ash smiled at Pikachu. "Pikachu, now use Thunderpunch!"

Gary's eyes widened and he pointed towards Pikachu. "Before they can hit, Umbreon, use Hyper Beam!"

Pikachu smirked and its entire body began to glow. Its fist was gathering a bunch of energy as Pikachu's body was moving the electricity stored within its cheeks into its fist. Once it was finished preparing for the attack, Pikachu dashed over to Umbreon quickly. But it wasn't quick enough.

Umbreon had worked up its beam and it was ready right when Pikachu was ready to unleash its attack. However, because Umbreon could use Hyper Beam at a distance, Umbreon had the advantage. The powerful dark Pokemon let its powerful beam go. The beam made an ear piercing sound like the solar beam at before and bashed into Pikachu so fast and powerfully that Pikachu was erased off of the arena floor and thrown into the water.

Ash looked behind him and ran over to the side of the arena where it met the water. He looked down into the water and saw Pikachu drifting slowly away towards the bottom of the pool, its cheeks buzzing a little electricity out, showing that Pikachu was about to turn off like a light bulb.

Ash blinked, horrified that they had lost this battle and even more horrified that Pikachu was seriously hurt.

Misty looked at the in-pool screen on the referee stand again and watched Pikachu descend. Her eyes were mellow as she watched, and she was about to hold the flag up, but gave Pikachu some time.

"Pikachu…" Ash groaned. Tears began to fall from his eyes and fell into the water, causing little ripples. "Pikachu!!"

Gary smirked and crossed his arms. "That battle was too easy to win. Hah. Looks like you've lost, Ash. Then again, that's nothing new."

Ash wasn't even listening to Gary's condescending words and kept his eyes on Pikachu. He figured that Pikachu wasn't going to come back or retaliate, so he decided to go in and retrieve his best friend's damaged body. Ash didn't jump in, but instead just fell in and swiftly swam to where Pikachu was, almost down to the bottom.

Misty's eyes widened at Ash's actions and focused again on the underwater camera. Her heart pounded quickly as Ash swam down because she was worried about Pikachu and, obviously, worried about Ash. Gary waited patiently with his arms crossed for Ash and Pikachu to surface.

Ash quickly reached Pikachu and wrapped his arms around his Pokemon. "Pikachu…" He said, the bubbles from his mouth rising up to the surface. When Ash touched it, Pikachu opened its eyes and looked at Ash weakly.

_I wish… we could have used our secret weapon…_ Ash thought as he looked down at Pikachu.

Pikachu, being connected with Ash, knodded weakly and then closed its eyes for a moment. Its cheeks began to glow a brilliant red and kept getting brighter.

Ash's eyes widened at this and his mouth gaped open in utter shock. Pikachu opened its eyes again, only this time very quickly and completely. Within moments, Pikachu began to glow. Ash let go of Pikachu, wondering what was going to happen and Pikachu began to slowly swim towards the surface. Electricity was now surging through its body, getting ready to perform Pikachu's most awesome attack.

Ash slowly followed after Pikachu quickly. He surfaced before Pikachu did and got up onto the arena, knowing that Pikachu was back. He looked down into the water and saw Pikachu, who looked just like a little lantern swimming through the water up to him. A few seconds later, Pikachu rocketed up to the surface and boomed through the water like a bullet, electricity surrounding it.

Ash grinned at Pikachu's awesomeness and Pikachu smiled back. "Ka!" It barked confidently.

Ash nodded and pointed towards Umbreon. His other fist was clenched tightly. "Pikachu… Volt Tackle!!!" Ash exploded.

Pikachu's eyes began to glow a little bit, just like its cheeks were. The electricity surrounding it was very intense.

Misty smirked at Ash's comeback while Gary swallowed nervously. "Umbreon! You have to dodge this!" Gary cried.

But Volt Tackle was unstoppable. After working up just a little more electricity, Pikachu bulleted toward Umbreon and smashed into it so hard that it cause a beam of light to shoot up to the gym ceiling and illuminated the water as well. Because the arena was atop water and Pikachu had been drenched beforehand, this Volt Tackle was at least twice as powerful as any usual one.

After a few moments, the beam dissipated and Pikachu and Umbreon could be seen, laying down motionless in the middle of the arena. Misty gripped onto her flag and began counting. Umbreon looked really bad, its body sparking a little and having bruises all over it, while Pikachu was covered with small scrapes and burns and was also sparking slightly.

Gary blinked in shock at Umbreon and ran over to his Pokemon, he knelt down beside it and touched its body, but refrained from doing so when he was slightly electrocuted by it. Ash also ran over to Pikachu, but he knew better not to touch it after such a huge attack.

"Dammit, Umbreon! C'mon!" Gary cried. He was really upset that he had most probably lost or this would turn out to be a draw, but was even more upset that his Pokemon was seriously hurt.

As Ash kneeled over Pikachu, he looked down at his Pokemon with a melancholy face. He then looked over at Misty, who was now standing up and had a flag in either hand. Soon, Misty held her hands up towards either side. "The battle between Ash Ketchum and Gary Oak of Pallet town has concluded in a---what?!"

Pikachu, even though it was very weak, was sensitive to light and noticed Ash's shadow hovering over it. Pikachu opened its big brown eyes slowly and looked at Ash with a smiled on its face, much like it did after it defeated that flock of Spearow while protecting itself and Ash many years ago.

Ash was very surprised by this and gasped at Pikachu's strength. He smiled brightly and encouraged Pikachu to get up. "Buddy, if you get, up and show that you have at least a little more energy in you, this will be ours."

Pikachu nodded at Ash weakly and then sat up very sluggishly. The small Pokemon struggled to its feet, but managed to get up and walk to Ash with a limp, and then gently hugged his arm. "Pika pi…"

"Pikachu…" Ash said softly. He wrapped his arms around his favorite and first Pokemon and hugged Pikachu tightly, smiling brilliantly. "We did it, buddy!"

Misty smiled at the sight of Ash hugging Pikachu and blushed deeply. "Ash…" She whispered to herself, thinking about how much she loved and appreciated him. She then stuck up the flag. "Umbreon is unable to battle. Ash from Pallet town WINS!" She called out excitedly. Togepi, cheering for Ash and Pikachu, raised its hands in the air and ringed its name joyously.

Gary rolled his eyes angrily and then recalled Umbreon. He looked down at Umbreon's Pokeball and smiled at it. "Well, we did our best." Gary then looked to Ash and Pikachu with a serious face and gritted his teeth. _Boy, has he gotten strong…_ Gary thought to himself. _He just might be ready for the championships… _

Ash cradled Pikachu in his arms and slowly stood up, exhausted from the Pokemon battle. Misty smiled to herself and picked up Togepi and ran onto the arena so that she could congratulate Ash. Once she was near him, she smiled at him and patted him on the shoulder. "Great job, Ash."

Ash looked over at Misty with a gentle smile on his face and then leaned in towards Misty and gave her a hug. He stood there for a minute, holding her. "I couldn't have done it without you, Misty." Ash said. Misty blushed deeply when he said this. She never would have thought that Ash would actually say that another person helped him in winning a Pokemon battle, especially against Gary, but she knew that Ash had matured and that when people were in love, they acted much differently. She patted his back and then let go of him.

Both Ash and Misty looked at Gary, who was approaching them.

Gary nodded in satisfaction and looked at Ash with his piercing glare. "It looks like you're quite ready for the championships." Gary acknowledged. "However, you really only won by an inch, and I suspect that the trainers up at the top of the league will be far stronger than you and I." Gary frowned.

Ash nodded at Gary's remark while Misty frowned at Gary. "Thanks for the battle and the advice. You did really well, too." Ash said. "Are you coming to the championships or participating?"

Gary smiled at Ash. "I'm not participating, but I am going there with my grandfather and your mother to observe some things."

Ash and Misty looked at each other with a confused look. "Observe…some things?" Misty asked.

Gary nodded with his eyes closed and then frowned. "Yes… There has been some talk of some of the villainous teams around here and in Hoenn sabotaging the championships."

Ash and Misty both gasped in unison. "Do you really think that would happen?" Ash asked with a concerned voice. "I mean… the security at the league championships is really high…"

Gary nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it is. That's why I really don't think it will happen. It's just gossip, is all." Gary remarked.

Ash and Misty nodded. Ash gently pet Pikachu's head and Pikachu happily licked his finger. For a few moments, the three were silent.

KERRRRRASHHHH…

A loud din could be heard from outside of the gym. Ash, Misty, and Gary looked around furiously to see if anything had happened inside of the arena, but then noticed that it had come from outside. Misty ran towards the arena door that led outside to see if anything was out there.

"Shit! She's coming!" The female magma grunt whispered to her partner. "I thought I told you to make sure not to drop that camera!"

The male rocket grunt sneered at his partner. "Stop complaining! It was an accident." He hissed. "Let's get out of here!"

The two grabbed the broken camera and the rest of their equipment and ran around the corner of the gym right before Misty opened the door and looked outside. She looked all around and tried to spot something, but she didn't notice anything unusual. With a sigh, she shut the door and walked back towards Ash and Gary.

"What was it?" Gary asked.

Misty shrugged. "I think it was out in front or something. Nothing to worry about."

Ash smiled at Misty's protection of the gym and blushed.

Gary smiled at Ash and then crossed his arms. "Well, it was a good battle, but I should get going to get back to Pallet town so I can start getting ready to head over to Hoenn." Gary said. He stuck his hand out so that he could shake Ash's. "So, I guess I'll see you at the championships then, Ash?"

Ash smiled at Gary's hand and then shook it confidently. "Of course." Ash said. "I'll train hard so you're not disappointed."

Gary nodded and then smiled at Misty. "Thank you… For letting us use the gym." He said gratefully.

Misty smiled at Gary. "Anytime."

"Heh… Well, smell you guys later." Gary said. It was his trademark good-bye. He turned around slowly and walked towards the arena door, walking out and then exiting the gym with his shoulders slanted and his eyes heavy in loss. _Maybe it would be best to just stick with researching… _He thought.

Ash and Misty smiled at each other after Gary left.

"That was an awesome battle." Misty said. She smiled and then took a full restore out of her bag. She always kept at least one of them with her, even though they were very expensive.

Ash blushed at Misty. "Thank you." He said. He noticed that she was pulling medicine out and then blushed more heavily. "Misty… You don't have to do that."

Misty blinked at Ash and then sprayed the full restore onto Pikachu. "No, I want to. Plus, Pikachu is really weak and I want to make sure that it stays strong." After Misty was finished, she put the empty container back in her bag for refilling and then petted Togepi's head.

Ash blinked at Misty and then smiled at her. "Thank you, Misty."

Misty smiled back. "Of course, Ash." She blushed deeply.

Ash stared at Misty for a moment and remembered how the battle had started. He didn't even really think about it much, but he had just kind of jumped into it without even considering what Misty had wanted. He started to feel bad about his previous actions and his smile changed into a frown.

"What's wrong?" Misty asked, noticing Ash's sadness.

Ash blinked at Misty. "Oh, I'm sorry about earlier… I kind of just jumped into this without even thinking about what you might have wanted to do today and all…"

Misty's eyes widened at Ash's apology and she shook her head. "Don't say you're sorry, Ash. It's fine. I was glad that I got to see such an awesome battle and I know that this was really important to you." Misty said. "And plus, you came over to Kanto to train anyway."

Ash looked at Misty for a moment and then smiled at her. He was so pleased with how accepting and understanding she was now. "Thank you, Misty… If…" Ash paused.

Misty bent her eyebrow. "If what?"

"Well… If the championships weren't coming up, I would have rather spent my day with you." Ash said, blushing.

Misty blushed deeply at Ash's comment. She then looked away. "Yeah, it would have been very nice, but… You have to do what you have to do."

Ash smiled and then looked around the gym. He was so happy that he had won and that Misty had been there to see it. It definitely boosted his confidence and gave him the strength to do well in the championships. If he had beaten Gary, did he even have to really train as hard as he thought he did? Could he really just relax and spend all of his remaining time with the girl standing in front of him… the girl he loved?

Misty looked at Ash and blinked, noticing that he was in thought. "So, what would you like to do now?" Misty asked.

Ash looked back at Misty. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm pretty tired from that battle and having walked around a lot. Plus, it's getting late. It's already about 8 o'clock."

Misty nodded at Ash's statement. "Well, we can sleep in my room if you want to. I have an extra futon I can set up that I can sleep on and you can sleep in my bed." She said.

Ash blushed at the thought of them being in the same room all alone and himself being in Misty's bed, surrounded by her sweet bodily scent. After a few moments though, he snapped out of his trance and smiled at Misty. "Y-yes, that will work out fine." Ash said, gulping.

Misty smiled at Ash's embarrassment. Then, an idea popped into her head. She was embarrassed to ask Ash, but she knew that he would probably say yes, especially since he was tired and wanted to relax. What else could she be thinking of except for a bath in the hot springs that they had at the bottom of the gym? She decided to be brave and just ask.

"Um… Ash." Misty said. "I have a suggestion."

Ash blinked at Misty and blushed slightly. "Hmmm?" He hummed cutely.

Misty blushed deeply. "Well, ah… I was thinking that since you're tired and it's been a really long day… How would you like to relax in the hot springs?" She asked.

Ash blinked at Misty and blushed just as deeply as she did. "W-wow. I didn't know you guys had hot springs here." Ash said. "Um… Sure, that'd be great, Misty." Ash said, smiling.

Misty smiled back at Ash and took a step forward. "Great. We'll go down there right now. Just follow me." She said nicely.

Ash blushed deeply. He was thinking about how the future situation would turn out for him. And of course, he couldn't help but to have slightly perverse thoughts about Misty lathering herself up. While he followed her, he tried to shake the thoughts out of his head, but they kept coming back. The closer they got to the baths, the more his mind and body began to react, his most sensitive spots beginning to tingle slightly. Little did he know that Misty was having a similar reaction, but she just hid it well.

As the spies watched Ash and Misty from a different window in the arena and eavesdropped, they heard that they were planning on going down to the hot springs at the bottom of the gym. They stayed quiet until after Ash and Misty left the arena.

"Haha… Don't tell me we have to spy on them THERE as well." The female team Magma grunt said.

The male Rocket grunt smirked at her. "Oh, c'mon, you know you're curious to see what's going to happen."

The female blinked and blushed. "No, I want to do my job and this is a bit ridiculous if we have to look at them while they're taking a bath as well."

The male Rocket grunt smirked even more. "Well, the bosses said that we had to make sure that we didn't let them out of our sight." He said. "Let's try to go down there before they make it there."

Soon, the clever grunts made it do the springs. However, the room only had a door leading to it and did not have any windows surrounding it.

"Crap… There's no windows." The male Rocket grunt said.

The female grunt rolled her eyes. "Well, it IS a bath area. It's private." She said. She crossed her arms.

"Well, you never know." The male Rocket grunt said. He frowned and then sighed. "Oh well… I guess we'll just continue operations tomorrow and let them have their time to themselves."

The female Magma grunt nodded. "Yeah. And plus, it's not like they're going to do anything unpredictable in there." She snickered.

The male Rocket grunt laughed along. "But that's exactly what I wanted to see…"

The female Magma grunt shook her head and grabbed his arm, walking towards a near fire exit where they would head up the stairs and out the gym silently without being noticed. "No, let's go get some dinner or something. Plus, those kids are like 10 years younger than us. Find someone your own age."

"Hehe, like you?" The Rocket grunt grinned.

The female Magma grunt blushed and shook her head. "If we were to do anything like that while on duty, the bosses would have our heads. You know that."

The Rocket grunt frowned and then nodded reluctantly, agreeing with her.

The two quickly exited the gym and found a hotel room down the street so that they would be close to the gym for spying on the young couple the next morning.

As they left the gym, Ash and Misty just made there way to the changing rooms and got changed into their bath attire, which consisted of only a towel that Ash wore around his abdomen and Misty wore around her body. The two blushed after they were finished changing, wondering what the night was going to bring.  



	18. Hot and Steamy

Both Ash and Misty, while in the changing rooms, were very nervous to walk out into the bath. The hot springs there at the Cerulean Gym weren't separated for gender, so it was a mixed bath. They both wondered what each other would look like and also wondered how they would both react when they saw each other.

Misty decided to walk in after she was all finished, her arms wrapped around Togepi snugly. She looked around the steamy room to see if she could see Ash, but she couldn't. Misty shrugged and then entered the hot spring by going down a beautiful set of stairs on the side of it. She walked out a bit into the spring and set Togepi down on the side on a bed of rocks and faced towards it so that she could keep a close eye on it.

Ash was still nervous about what would happen when he entered the room. He didn't want to walk in on Misty or anything like that like he did that one time. Well, he WANTED to, but he knew that it would probably cause problems. Finally, Ash just decided to enter. Pikachu was on Ash's shoulder, as always, and was anxious to feel the relaxing, hot air against its swollen cheeks.

When Ash entered, he couldn't see anything except for the shine of the metal banister that was on the steps leading into the spring. He walked over to it quietly and entered the spring. It was very hot, so he took it slowly. Once he was in, he sighed and walked in the same direction Misty had gone.

"Aghh!" Ash sounded. He had bumped into something.

"Ow!" Misty cried. Something had bumped into her.

Ash opened his eyes and saw Misty standing right in front of him. However, Misty was looking back at him because she had been facing towards the side. This caused an awkward situation for both of them… Ash's crotch was resting against Misty's backside.

Misty blushed heavily when she noticed that Ash had bumped into her. "Ahh… Hi Ash." She said nervously. Misty quickly turned around so that she could face her friend.

Ash blushed and stood up straight so that Misty could completely turn around and then walked and stood beside Misty by the side. Pikachu jumped off of Ash's shoulder and onto the side so that it could be by Togepi. "Sorry, Misty. It's just hard to see in here." Ash apologized.

Misty blushed and looked beside her at Ash. They were only inches apart from each other. "It's okay. Don't worry about it." She said gently.

Ash smiled at her and then stretched, putting both of his hands behind his head. He kept his eyes downward so that they would appear closed, but he was actually looking down at Misty's chest. Because the towel was wrapped tightly around her body, cleavage was quite visible. Ash blushed intensely and then quickly looked away.

Misty smiled to herself and then leaned back on the side like Ash had done. "Mmm… It feels so good…" She purred.

Ash looked at Misty and blushed even more deeply. That just sounds… so wrong! Ash thought to himself. He shook his head a little and then blinked. "Y-yeah, I wish we had one of these in Pallet Town."

The two were silent for a moment. They both breathed in the warm air and let their muscles relax inside of the hot water. They listened to the sound of the steaming waterfall that was at the back of the spring and closed their eyes, imagining that they were in a tropical paradise instead of in the Cerulean Gym.

Breaking the silence, Ash smiled to himself and then brought his hand up out of the water so that he could splash Misty a little bit. He flicked at the surface of the water and it got her right on the chest and her neck. Ash blushed, and so did Misty.

Misty smiled. "Aha… So you want to play that game, do you?" Misty asked.

Ash smirked at Misty and then splashed her again. "Sure!"

The two backed away from the wall and swam into the deeper end of the hot spring where it reached a depth of about 10 feet. When they reached it, Misty punched the surface of the water near Ash, drenching him with the hot water and Ash did it right back. The two laughed while they played a game of water wars and Togepi and Pikachu watched happily.

The intensity of the game was ever increasing and the splashes were becoming more powerful and frequent. However, Misty stopped splashing when she noticed that her towel had slipped off of her body during the game. She blushed heavily and then crossed her arms so that she could conceal her breasts and crossed her legs over one another so that she could try and conceal herself down south as well.

Ash blinked at Misty's pause and tilted his head. "What's wrong, Misty?" He asked.

Misty blushed heavily and then bit her lip. "Ahh… My towel slipped off, is all." She looked around the surface of the water to see if it had stayed afloat, but she knew that the warmth and thickness of the water probably had caused it to sink to the bottom and she wasn't about to go down and get it. The bottom of the spring was incredibly hot.

Ash stared at Misty for a moment and blushed heavily. Misty was about two feet away from him, in a hot and steamy spring, and she was naked?! The situation was very awkward for him and he didn't really know what to say to Misty. He was sorry that she was embarrassed and that she had lost her towel, but then again, he was glad that she had lost it. Ash thought for a moment of what to say or do, and then an idea popped into his head. He was trying to think of the most romantic or friendly thing to do in a situation like this.

"Well, if you lost your towel… Do you want to use mine?" Ash asked.

Misty blushed heavily at his suggestion and quickly shook her head. "Ah… no, that's okay. I'll be fine." _As long as I keep my arms over my chest and stay in deep enough water, he shouldn't be able to see anything. _She thought.

Ash smiled and then thought of another idea. "Okay, well… if you lost your towel… Then I might as well lose mine too!" Ash said. He smirked and then reached down so that he could slip off his towel and he couldn't help but to blush when he felt the warm water against himself.

Misty's eyes widened in shock and she blushed deeply. She was glad that Ash was trying to make her feel more comfortable with her nudeness, but it was just so unnerving! He must be really comfortable with me. Misty thought. In return of Ash's hospitality, she wanted to show him that if he was comfortable with her, then she was definitely comfortable with him. She blushed more deeply and then uncrossed her arms and her legs. Her womanly breasts floated, but the water covered all but the tops of them.

Ash couldn't help but to glance at Misty's chest when she let herself go. He blushed, but then smiled. "So, do you still want to play our game, Misty?"

Misty blushed and then shook her head. "I kept getting water up my nose… Plus, you need to relax." Misty said.

Ash smiled at her suggestion. "I agree."

Ash swam over to the side again, but this time stayed in the deep end. There was an unevenness in the side of the bath that made a little place where people could sit in the deep end, but still be surrounded by the water. Ash sat on it and smiled at Misty, who slowly followed behind him.

Misty sat right next to Ash. Her breasts were still covered by the water, but the tops of them were still visible. Both of them blushed as they sat next to each other in the nude.

Misty decided to strike up a conversation. "So, Ash… How do you think you'll do at the championships?" She asked, looking at him intimately.

Ash blushed at Misty and smiled. "Well, I'm hoping I'll do well. But, I don't really even think I'll make it to the finals. Semifinals maybe, but not the finals. There's lots of strong trainers in Hoenn."

Misty frowned at Ash's pessimism and nudged his arm a little. "Oh, c'mon. You're a really strong trainer, Ash. Afterall, you beat Gary, and he's one of the lead trainers in Kanto."

Ash blushed at Misty's compliment. "Thanks Misty. I just don't want to get too much of a huge head beforehand because when I do, I've noticed that I don't do as well." Ash said.

Misty blushed at Ash's maturity and smiled. Usually Ash always got a big head before things like this and bragged about himself incessantly. But this time, he was really calm and collected beforehand. Misty really admired that.

Ash smiled back at Misty. "How do you think I'll do?" He asked.

Misty blinked at Ash's question and then looked at the waterfall that was near them. "Well… I think you're going to do great, Ash." Misty said. "And I definitely think you'll make it to the finals. You don't allow yourself to do any less." She said.

Ash smiled at Misty. "Well, if you're there and I can see you in the stands, then I think I just might be able to make it to the finals as well." Ash said.

Misty smiled at Ash. "Oh, I'll definitely be there. I wouldn't miss it for the world." She said.

Ash blushed at Misty and then slowly put his arm around her, brining her toward him a little bit. "Thanks for being such a great best friend, Misty."

Misty looked up at Ash with a blush on her face and smiled at him. "Thank you too, Ash." She said softly.

Ash looked away from Misty and bit his lip. There was something that he wanted to tell Misty, but he hadn't gotten the chance to. Misty noticed Ash's sudden change in mood and looked at him. "What's wrong, Ash?"

Ash looked back at Misty. He smiled at her weakly. "It's just that… I really like you Misty."

Misty blushed at what he had said and then looked at the waterfall. "I… really like you too, Ash." She said slowly.

Ash nodded. "I just feel so bad that we went our separate ways…" Ash said. "Sometimes, I wonder how close we would be if we stayed together… I feel like I missed out on a great opportunity."

Misty blinked at Ash's comment and nodded. "I know how you feel…" She blushed. "But, I think we're really close now… It'll just take some time to get used to everything and really discover our desires."

Ash smiled at Misty's words of wisdom. "I just wish we could have been closer sometimes and that we hadn't argued so much." Ash chuckled.

Misty giggled and then blushed. "…Well, Ash… I feel really close to you, I mean…"

Ash blinked. "What?"

Misty blushed and scratched the side of her head nervously. "…I…I love you…I always have."

Ash blushed deeply at Misty and blinked. He then smiled and held her closer to him. "I love you too, Misty. And even though it didn't show sometimes…I…I always have, too."

The two looked at each other for a while and basked in the moment. They felt so romantic with one another, with their bodies being close and the warm water surrounding them. With Togepi and Pikachu playing with each other happily and everything being quiet within the gym.

The intimacy of it all was almost too much to bare. Misty closed her eyes softly and smiled at Ash, her cheeks turning more pink.

Ash smiled back and then closed his eyes. He planted a kiss upon Misty's soft lips. Misty felt her blood pumping in each vein in her body when he kissed her. It was flowing for him.

Misty brought her hand up out of the water and touched the side of Ash's face gently. Even though her hand had been sitting in the hot water, Ash's cheek still felt warm. She let her soft tongue slip into Ash's mouth and rubbed his teeth with it. While they kissed, Ash caressed the side of Misty's arm. Misty let her hand trail down Ash's cheek and onto his neck, dragging her fingertips against his skin gently. Ash then put his hand on Misty's shoulder and rubbed at her collar bone, and he stuck his tongue inside of her mouth as well.

The two were anxious to continue on. This was the perfect opportunity for them to show each other how they felt, physically and emotionally. Their hormones were surging as they embraced each other in the nude and in the hot springs, Ash's neck hairs standing up, his muscles tensing, and his blood rushing from his head down to his most sensitive area where he began to form an erection.

Misty was also feeling the heat. Her body was covered in goosebumps and her nipples became as hard as diamonds. She could feel her muscles tensing as well, and felt herself becoming tingly between her legs. She shuttered because of all of the pleasure and blushed heavily when Ash moved so that Misty's head was resting against the side of the pool and he had her pinned against the wall, still locked in that erotic kiss.

Ash let his hand descend a little bit from Misty's collar bone down to her sternum where he rested his hand. _This is right by where her heart is…_He thought. He felt the band-aid that he had but on her there and rubbed it a little, remembering how she got the wound. He kept his hand there, feeling her heart beat accelerate as their kiss got even more intense. Misty wrapped her arms around Ash and tickled the back of his neck. While they finished the kiss, Ash pressed his hip bone against Misty's, and both of them could feel their pubic area touching one another's as Misty's leg slowly slipped up between Ash's.

After a few more minutes of kissing, Ash slowly let go of the kiss. He didn't really want to, but he had to come up for air, especially because of how humid the room was. Both him and Misty panted lightly afterwards and looked down at each other, blushing, their eyebrows tilted upward in pleasure. Both of them wanted more than anything to dive into each other right there and then, feeling their two bodies becoming one, but both of them knew that it was getting late and that the next day would have much to bring, since they were going to head back to Pallet Town.

"I love you, Misty." Ash said handsomely.

"I love you too, Ash." Misty said back, smiling.

The two embraced each other for a while longer and then decided that it was time to go up and go to bed. Misty slowly got out of the water and walked into her dressing room, while Ash did the same. Both of them looked back at each other and Ash couldn't help but to blush and feel sexually bothered again when he saw Misty's naked curves glistening in the steam while she held Togepi close to her bosom and carried her bag around her back. Like Ash, Misty couldn't help but to peek as well, and blushed heavily and looked away when she saw Ash's manhood and his bareness as he walked back to the dressing room with Pikachu perked up on his shoulder.

After the two got changed into their usual clothes, they met each other in Misty's room. Misty smiled at Ash as she saw him enter the room. She was sitting on her bed and holding Togepi. "You can sleep on here tonight, Ash. I'll sleep on the floor on the roll out futon."

Ash smiled at Misty's generosity and shut the door. "If you insist." He said. He wanted to be chivalrous and sleep on the floor for her, but he didn't want to go against what she originally wanted. Misty got up from where she was sitting, rolled out the futon, and both of them lied down and got comfortable in bed, Pikachu laying right next to Ash and Togepi snuggled in Misty's arms.

Misty reached over to her alarm clock and set the alarm for 9 o'clock in the morning. If Ash wanted to train more and they wanted to get back to the ferry in Pallet Town quickly enough to make the Hoenn League Championships, they had better get their move on.

Misty smiled at Ash while she watched him sleep. She blushed and then took out her good luck charm from her bag, the hook, and kissed it, making sure not to hook herself like she did before. She then put it back into her bag into a little box, where she also kept the photo of her family and the Pokeball that had her Gyarados in it.

Misty smiled to herself and then got up from where she was laying. She stood up and smiled down at Ash. She then leaned over a bit and pecked him softly on his cheek. "Goodnight…" She whispered.

Misty then lied down. She fell asleep easily, dreaming of what had happened that night and what was to come. Because of the thoughts flowing through her brain while she was dreaming, she slept very well that night. She hoped that Ash was having as sweet of dreams as she was.  



	19. Hoenn, Here We Come!

The next morning was sunny and bright when Ash and Misty woke up. Both of them arose from their bed slowly and said "Good Morning" by hugging each other. The two then gathered their things and got ready to hit the road.

Before leaving the gym, Misty told Violet that she and Ash were leaving so that Violet wouldn't assume that Misty would take care of everything. The two, surprisingly, didn't argue with one another and everything went pretty smoothly.

After they were out of the Cerulean Gym, Ash and Misty went to grab a bite to eat from a fast food stand close to the gym. Misty got some toast and a milk, while Ash got a sausage biscuit with some orange juice.

The two headed off on their journey back to Pallet town. Instead of rushing to get to their destination like last time, the two took it slowly because Ash still needed to train for the championships. During the training, Ash and Misty battled with one another, and each match always ended in a draw, showing how even they were in Pokemon skills. Ash also trained on his own by using trees, rocks, and other parts of nature to let his Pokemon lift and bounce off of while running to increase their attack and speed.

Ash also battled against other people while on their journey, including long past friends from Kanto, like AJ, the Sandshrew master. Or, used to be Sandshrew master. He was now a very experienced Sandslash master and had already won several championship titles. The two of them had two battles, one of which Ash won by an inch and one of which AJ won.

About a week of training went by and Ash was becoming stronger and stronger. If he saw an experienced looking trainer along the way, he felt obliged to stop him or her and ask them for a battle. And he almost won every time.

During this time, nothing much happened between Ash and Misty. Misty helped Ash get stronger by refereeing and battling him, but Ash wasn't really paying to emotional affairs too much. The two talked and embraced each other every night after their rigorous training, but that was about it.

Once the week of training was over and Ash felt like he was comfortable enough to stop training so much, Ash and Misty finally made their way into Pallet Town. Most of their training had been done near Mount Moon and then in the Viridian Forest. AS they made their way into the small city, Ash walked confidently beside Misty, with Pikachu atop his head like a crown.

"Ahh… We're finally here, guys!" Ash said excitedly. He looked at Misty and smiled at her appreciatively.

Misty blushed and smiled back at Ash. "It feels nice to be here after having been in the forests for so long." She said.

Ash nodded at her comment and sighed. They walked down the small dirt path road that led to their house and, while he did, looked at Gary's house and Professor Oak's lab in the distance. The sight of Gary's house caused him to remember the battle that he and Gary had, and Professor Oak's lab made him wonder whether his mother and Professor Oak had come back from Sinnoh yet.

Soon, Ash and Misty reached Ash's house and walked inside. Mimey was walking around, sweeping and Ash looked around for his mother to see if she had come back yet. "Mom. It's Ash. Are you home?"

"Ash!" Delia cried. She looked at him through the back window. Of course, she had been watering her plants as always. She definitely had a green thumb. She was wearing a blue jean skirt and a purple tank top, with her pink slippers. Of course, she also had a hat on so that she could protect herself from the bounteous summer sunlight. Ms. Ketchum smiled at Ash and Misty, set the watering can down and opened the sliding glass door, walking in quickly.

"Hi Mom." Ash said, smiling. Misty gave Ms. Ketchum a big smile. "Hi Ms. Ketchum."

Delia smiled and ran up to Ash joyously. She wrapped her arms around him, giving him that big old welcome home hug. "Oh, it's so good to see you two!" Delia let go of Ash and then hugged Misty as well. "Thank you so much for watching over the house, you two!"

Ash and Misty smiled and then looked at each other a little nervously. Haha… Watched over the house? They thought. Boy was she fooled.

Delia smiled at Ash and was all crescent-eyed. "So how was training, sweety?" She asked.

Ash smiled. "It went great! We won a lot of battles. Didn't we Pikachu?" Ash looked up at Pikachu and smiled again.

Pikachu looked at Ms. Ketchum and said its name happily.

Ms. Ketchum clapped her hands together. "Oh, how awesome!" She said excitedly. "I can't wait to see my little boy out there on the arena floor again."

Ash blushed at his mothers comment. _Does she really have to treat me like a 5 year old in front of Misty? _Ash thought to himself.

Misty smiled at Ash and blushed. "Yeah, he's going to do really well Ms. Ketchum." Misty complimented.

Ms. Ketchum smiled at Misty. "Are you coming to the championships too?" Delia asked.

Misty nodded quickly. "Of course." She said smiling.

"Oh my!" Delia squealed. "I'm so excited!"

Ash smiled at his mother's cheerfulness. "Yeah, we are too, Mom." Ash said. "Is Professor Oak back? How was your time in Sinnoh?"

"Sinnoh was absolutely wonderful! We saw many new Pokemon." Ash's mom said. She smiled and blushed a little bit. "And yes. Professor Oak---"

"I'm right heeeeeeereeee!" Professor Oak said.

Ash smiled and looked around for the Professor that had taught him so much. He looked up the steps to see if he was there and he was. It looked like he had just taken a shower because his tan skin was glistening and his grey hair was wet.

"Professor Oak!" Ash and Misty both said in unison.

Delia looked up at Professor Oak and blushed. _Oh dear... _

Professor Oak smiled and walked down the stairs. He greeted Pikachu and Togepi by gently rubbing their heads and then put his hands on Ash's shoulder and Misty's shoulder. "Tell me you two have been training?" Professor Oak asked with a somewhat stern and concerned look on his face.

Ash and Misty smirked and a sweatdrop rolled down the side of their faces. "Of course we have!" They said.

Professor Oak tapped their shoulder at the same time and then crossed his arms. "Good!" He held a finger in the air, showing that he was about to make an important point. "Because if you want to do good in the Hoenn League Championships, you've really got to work your tail off." He said.

Misty blinked at Professor Oak. "I'm not participating." Misty said. "I'm just helping Ash train so he can do well."

Professor Oak nodded. "I see." He said. "Well, in a way you are participating. The battles you've had with Ash will be reflected when he's facing the trainers at the championships." Professor Oak said.

Misty and Ash nodded in agreement and looked at each other, smiling and blushing.

Professor Oak looked at Delia and frowned a bit. He whispered to her. "Kids always have the worst timing!"

Delia giggled and blushed. "Mmmhm."

Ash and Misty looked at Ms. Ketchum and Professor Oak with their eyebrows bent. They could sense something going on between the two, but Professor Oak and Delia had always been very close, so it wasn't that startling to them.

Professor Oak blinked and looked at his watch. "Oh my! It's 6:30!" He said. He looked at Delia. "If we want to make it to the 7 o'clock ferry, we'd better get going."

Delia nodded and smiled.

Ash and Misty both looked at each other with a confused look on their face. "Wait, so we're going to Hoenn NOW?" Ash asked nervously.

Professor Oak walked over to the door and put his shoes on and grabbed his bag, while Delia took off her slippers and put on her shoes. "Well, I don't think we have the technology for you to win the championships from Kanto, Ash." Professor Oak said sarcastically.

Ash chuckled. "Well, yeah... But aren't the championships next week?" Ash asked.

Professor Oak blinked at Ash. "You've got to be kidding me, Ash." He said. "You're sixteen years old and you can't even remember the date? The Hoenn League Championships start in two days!"

Ash's eyes widened in shock. He nervously rubbed his hand through his hair. He then frowned at Professor Oak. "Oh gosh. I'm sorry. I've been training so much I didn't even keep track." Ash said.

Misty looked over at Ash with a frown on her face and bit her lip.

Professor Oak got up from his seat. "Well, it's your loss, Ash." Professor Oak said. "But, no matter when the championships are, I'm sure you'll do fine." Professor Oak smiled.

Ash smiled back at Professor Oak and clenched his fist at the encouragement. "I'll...I'll try my best!" Ash said. "And even though I didn't know the championships were so soon, I'm even more pumped now!" Ash said. He felt the adrenaline beginning to course through his veins. Misty smiled at him and she was also feeling the excitement.

Ash's mom smiled at Ash's confidence while she was packing some foods to eat during the ferry ride. There was a restaurant on the ferry, but the food was so expensive. Delia packed some rice cakes, some miso soup, sandwiches, and ramen inside a cooler and didn't forget about the drinks, packing eight cans of soda so that each person would have two of each.

"All the food is ready!" Delia said as she placed the last soda in the cooler and closed it. Professor Oak smiled at Delia, admiring how generous and caring she was. "Let's get this show on the road then!" He said excitedly.

Delia grabbed the cooler and her purse while Professor Oak walked towards the door. Ash and Misty already had everything they needed, so there was no need to go upstairs or anything. Pikachu and Togepi were both cheering as the four walked out the door.

Professor Oak, being quite the gentleman, took the cooler from Delia even though he was carrying his large, briefcase-like Professor-bag across his body. Delia smiled at him and blushed, and Professor Oak winked at her.

Misty and Ash walked side by side while Delia and Professor Oak walked side by side. Misty and Ash looked at one another and smiled. Ash blushed at Misty and then took her hand that wasn't cradling Togepi. Misty blushed deeply and smiled when she saw the ferry.

When Professor Oak and Delia noticed that Ash and Misty had held hands, they both looked at them weirdly, but then blushed a bit. Professor Oak smiled to himself. "Looks like you two have become more than friends!" Professor Oak shouted. He always had a way of being nosy. Delia giggled.

Ash and Misty turned around at Professor Oak and stuck their tongue out and pulled their eye down at the same time.

Professor Oak smirked. "Haha, that confirms it!" Professor Oak said. He smiled and took Delia's hand. "I guess if they're going to be open about their love, then we can too!"

Delia smiled at the Professor and nodded. "Mmhm." She then looked at Ash. "My little Ash is finally turning into a young man!" She said. This, of course, embarrassed Ash and he looked at Misty and rolled his eyes.

Professor Oak smiled at the sight of them. "I always knew there was something special between those two." He said.

Ash and Misty looked at one another with blushes on their faces.

Delia blushed. "Me too." She said, squeezing Professor Oak's hand lovingly.

When the four finally got to the ferry, Professor Oak paid for all of the expenses. Boy, was he a gentleman. "It's all on me!" He said laughing as he gave the money to the ferry lady after she checked all of their ID's. She smiled at him and waved goodbye as they walked onto the boat. "Have a nice ride!" She then went back to checking ID's and making sure everyone was going to the right place. "Everyone boarding the 7 o'clock ferry to EverGrande City needs to have their ID verified before entering the boat!" She yelled.

Once they got to the main deck, Delia and Professor Oak went their separate ways from Ash and Misty, of course. They wanted to leave the two be so that they could spend time with one another and so that Ash could focus and spend time with Misty. Delia and Professor Oak went to go sit down on the stern of the boat, while Ash and Misty sat on the bow so that they could see the vast ocean ahead of them. Even though many people seemed to be on the boat, almost everyone sat inside and there was no one else on the bow of the boat or the stern, so each pair of lovebirds had part of the boat to themselves.

Ash and Misty sat across from each other on the bench on the very tip of the bow. They smiled at each other and blushed.

"I can't believe I lost track of the date." Ash said.

Misty frowned and looked away. "Well... You had a lot on your mind. It's okay." Misty said. "Afterall, it's better than being just downright late, you know?"

Ash blushed at Misty. "Yeah, you're right. Thank you, Misty." He took her hand again and squeezed it.

Misty smiled. "Thanks for what?" She asked.

Ash blushed again. "For making me feel better." Ash said. "Your words are so encouraging and comforting. Thank you."

Misty blushed. "...You're welcome." She said softly.

Soon, the loud ferry horn sounded and it startled both of them as well as Togepi and Pikachu. After the boat began to move and left the port, Ash and Misty smiled at each other. _It's so close... _Ash thought to himself. Both sheer excitement and nervousness saturated his mind.

After a few minutes of just looking around and exploring the beautiful, pre-sunset environment around them, Ash and Misty smiled at each other and blushed. The scene was so romantic... They were on the very tip of a large and versatile boat, they were alone on the bow, during a priceless sunset, the warm breeze flowed through their hair serenely, and they were with each other and their Pokemon.

Misty blushed. "It's so beautiful." She said looking at the sky. The sky was painted with the most beautiful colors... Colors that the most talented artist couldn't even replicate, and the clouds were majestic and large, reaching up to the heavens.

Ash blushed at Misty and nodded. "It sure is..." He said. He smiled at her and then leaned forward, slowly, planting a soft kiss on her cheek.

Misty looked at Ash, her face as red as a beet, as he backed away from kissing her cheek. Misty then closed her eyes and leaned toward him, giving him a kiss on the lips. With one of her hands, she held the side of Ash's face and stroked his hair. Ash closed his eyes as he felt his love for Misty flow through his veins. They loved each other so much that they felt as if anything happened to one of them, they wouldn't be able to survive. Misty was Ash's oxygen and Ash was Misty's.

Ash blushed and wrapped his arms around Misty while they kissed underneath the beautiful evening sky. The boat headed out towards the Horizon towards Hoenn. The boat ride only lasted a couple of hours and during that time, Ash and Misty embraced each other in a hug and rested, Ash's face resting on Misty's shoulder and Misty's face resting on his. Pikachu and Togepi also rested. Pikachu was sitting right next to Ash, leaning against him, and Togepi sat in front of Pikachu, within its shell and cradled by Pikachu's arms.

"Man, we're finally on our way." He said. "Do you think they could have spent more time training?" The male Rocket grunt complained. He and his partner were undercover and watched Ash and Misty from a distance, sitting on the bench on the side of the boat. They had been so diligent in making sure that they kept their eyes on the two and followed them practically everywhere they went, without getting caught once.

The female Magma grunt sighed. "Yeah, they trained for like a week." She said. "If we're going to really go through with this, the bosses better make sure they choose the contestant wisely." She said.

Her partner nodded. "Yeah." He said. "Hey, do we really even have to spy on them much anymore since they probably aren't going to do much training between now and then?"

The female grunt looked as if she was in thought. "I guess we don't have to, but you know we have to stay here anyway because if something goes wrong, we have to take action."

The male Rocket grunt nodded. "Well, yeah. But I mean... Is it necessary for us to stay in a hotel room right next to them?" He smirked and nudged her. "'Cause technically, if we don't have to spy on them and it's this late at night, we aren't really on duty."

The female grunt laughed. "You pervert." She insulted. "I know what you're thinking."

He frowned at her. "Hey, so what if I'm a highly sexual person?" He asked.

She blushed and then looked away. "Well, I GUESS we can stay in a different hotel or a room that's far enough away from them."

He laughed. "Yeah, we wouldn't want to put on a show for the kids. They'd be sleeping or playing with their Pokemon and they'd hear the bed rocking... Ahhh... Uhn... MMM!!!" He imitated.

"Enough!" The female grunt barked. A heavy blush was across her face. "We're on a boat here, you dimwit."

The rocket grunt looked around and saw an old lady staring at him menacingly. "...Oh, yeah."

The female grunt rolled her eyes. "Let's just wait until we get to EverGrande and we'll see how everything works out, Okay?"

The male rocket grunt blinked. "Yes'm."

Once the ferry arrived in EverGrande City the horn sounded again and Ash and Misty woke up and quickly grabbed their Pokemon, heading towards the exit of the boat. Professor Oak and Delia were already on shore, since they hadn't fallen asleep. Professor Oak smiled and both of the waved their hands in the air to show where they were. Ash and Misty smiled and quickly walked over to them.

"Fall asleep?" Delia asked happily.

Ash and Misty nodded in embarrassment. "Sorry..." They said in unison.

Delia smiled. "It's okay. I'm so happy we're all here!"

The weather in Hoenn was absolutely beautiful. The black sky was illuminated by many stars and the shining full moon. The temperature was about sixty degrees and the air was slightly humid, but not too much.

"Mmm... It's so beautiful here!" Delia said, breathing in the fresh air.

Professor Oak, Ash, and Misty all smiled and nodded in agreement.

After everyone was finished getting off the boat, the ferry moved up a bit so that it could except people from Hoenn onto the boat and take them to Kanto. The ferry was exclusive to Pallet Town and EverGrande City, to and back.

The four watched the ferry leave after taking on more passengers and then made their way into the city so that they could find a hotel or grab a bite to eat. It was getting late—It was already about 10 o'clock and they were all very tired.

They made their way down the busy streets and finally found a hotel in which they could stay in. It was a small hotel, but it was quite cozy and it had a tropical feel to it, especially since it was right on the water. The city was incredibly busy because of the championships—at least 25 people were participating and of course, they had all brought family and friends along.

At the check-in desk, Delia paid for Ash and Misty's room, while Professor Oak paid for his and Delia's. Misty smiled at Ms. Ketchum and said thank you, of course. Once they were all finished checking-in, they made their way upstairs. Professor Oak and Delia were assigned to room 210 and Ash and Misty, room 200. It was far away enough to give them their privacy.

The two grunts that had been assigned to spy over Ash and Misty found a different hotel, as they had planned. They stayed in a hotel that was about 3 blocks down the street from Ash and Misty's and was closer to the arena grounds. Of course, they stayed in their room together, and instead of spying on Ash and Misty for the night or going to a meeting that was being held at the Team Rocket/Team Magma HQ that had been built on the quieter side of EverGrande, they just called in for the night on their walkie-talkies and relaxed together.

Once Ash and Misty were situated in their room, they looked around and observed it. The room had two double beds and a lamp in between that sat on a table. The place had a closet, a little mini-refrigerator, a TV, and a small desk. Everything was pretty standard, except for the bathroom, which had a beautiful sink in it, a toilet, and a large jacuzzi tub with an extending shower head. Both of them were happy with the quality of the room and sat on their beds.

Ash blinked as he looked up at the ceiling. He was pretty nervous about the championships. Pikachu jumped off of Ash's shoulder as Ash fell back on his back and put his hands behind his head in a criss-cross manner. Misty looked over at Ash and smiled while petting Togepi's head.

"We're finally here, Ash." Misty said.

Ash looked over at her and smiled. "Yep. I'm really excited." Ash said. He smiled while he listened tot he sounds of people outside. He thought about when he would get to see Brock, May, and Max again. He knew that they were probably here already because they promised that they would come and he hoped that he would see him tomorrow.

Ash looked over at Misty. "So, what do you want to do tomorrow, Misty?" Ash asked. He smiled at her curiously.

Misty blinked at Ash. "Well, I was thinking about walking around the city a little bit. I've never been here in Hoenn before and I think it'd be really cool to look around." She said.

Ash nodded. "Yeah, I'd love to look around too." He said. "Plus, I'd like us to meet up with Brock and my two newer friends, May and Max."

Misty blinked at Ash. She had heard him clearly, but all that really stuck out is the name "May." That was Ash's other female friend. Misty wondered what she was like, and what would happen when they met.

Ash blinked at Misty. "Somethin' wrong?" He asked.

Misty shook her head. "Not at all." She said. "If we're planning on going out, we'd better get some rest, you know?"

Ash smiled at her. "You're absolutely right." He got up off the bed and then walked over to the side of his bed, so he could pull the covers down. Misty did the same thing. She was so tired from having walked around Kanto so much with Ash and needed to sleep in an actual bed instead of a sleeping bag. Both of them just decided to sleep in the clothes that they were wearing, since they'd wear the same outfit tomorrow.

Misty lied in her bed and so did Ash. Ash then reached over to turn off the light, while Misty got situated and snuggled up with Togepi. Ash then wrapped his arms around Pikachu and sighed. Misty then remembered to set her alarm clock for the next morning, and she set it for 10AM this time because they both needed lots of rest.

"Goodnight, Ash." Misty said sort of monotonously. She still had her mind on May.

Ash frowned at Misty's stoic "goodnight" and shut his eyes. "Night."

Misty blinked when she noticed that Ash didn't say that he loved her. She wondered why... If she didn't say it first, wouldn't he? They had been saying it now every night before they went to bed, so why was this night any different? She frowned and felt a lump developing in her throat like it did on that day when she talked to Ash about her parent's death. Soon, her eyes became a little watery, and she quickly wiped them away with her fingers. _Maybe he just has a lot on his mind... _Misty comforted herself. _Or maybe is it because he knows that I'm worried about his friend? _Misty tried to think of things that could be wrong as she quietly cried her sensitive self to sleep.

All she knew is that she hoped that it wasn't because he had been hiding something from her.


	20. Ceremony

Brrrrrrrrrrringgggggggggg! Misty's alarm clock sounded. She had felt like she had only gotten an hour or two of sleep, even though she actually got about 10. That's what happens when you're nervous or excited about something. She sat up, rubbed Togepi in order to wake it up with one hand and rubbed her eyes with the other. She yawned loudly afterwards and then stretched.

She looked over at Ash in his bed and rolled her eyes._ He sleeps like a rock…_ She thought. She got out of bed with Togepi in her arms so that she could wake him up, frowning while still pondering upon what she had thought about the previous night.

Misty stood next to Ash, looking down at him while he slept. She then spoke to him loudly. "Ash, it's already 10 o'clock. If you want to go out then we need to wake up." Misty said with a slightly disappointed look on her face. Ash opened his eyes slowly. He groaned softly while he looked up at Misty, his eyes squinting because the sunlight pouring in through the window was right in them. He then opened his eyes completely and sat up, holding Pikachu.

"Thanks, Misty. I probably would have overslept if you hadn't woke me up."

Misty laughed. "No, definitely." She said.

Ash blinked at Misty in confusion and then turned away from her and got himself situated so that they'd be ready to go. He grabbed his bag and let Pikachu jump up on him. Misty grabbed her bag as well and walked toward the door, Ash following along behind her. The two didn't speak much unless they had to, the situation was pretty awkward with how things had been going lately.

Ash frowned at Misty's silence. She was usually more talkative and cheerful than this, but now her behavior was reminding him of the times in which they were traveling together when they were younger and more immature. Ash gritted his teeth. There's gotta' be something wrong… Ash thought. He decided to ask just to make sure.

"Are you sure nothing's wrong, Misty?" Ash asked while they walked out of the hotel room. They didn't bother with telling Professor Oak and Delia where they were going, since they were now young adults and the two elders probably would be still sleeping anyway.

Misty blinked at Ash and blushed. She then shook her head with her eyes closed. "Not a thing." She lied. "I guess I'm just nervous about the championships… Or maybe a little homesick." Lies were written all over her face, but Ash was kinda' dense with reading those kind of things, so he didn't really notice anything besides her being devoid of much emotion towards him. They soon exited the hotel and he shrugged, looking around him at all the buildings.

While Ash was looking around, he spotted three familiar looking people from far away. He sped up his pace a little so he could see better, and didn't really care if he left Misty behind because of how difficult she seemed right now. He didn't like it when she was difficult with him. Why couldn't she just be open about her feelings? Would being homesick or nervous really cause this much change in emotion and reaction? Ash didn't know, but he tried his best to focus on the Hoenn League Championships, and even though he wanted to comfort Misty, there wasn't much he could do when she acted this way.

After Ash was at least 20 feet away from the people he spotted, he finally recognized them. With a large smile on his face, his eyes widened and he walked closer to them. Who else could it be besides his three best friends? "Brock, May, Max!" He exclaimed excitedly. Pikachu was happy to see all of them too, but it looked back at Misty to make sure she was alright. When Pikachu noticed that she had a frown on her face, Pikachu sighed.

Soon, Misty caught up next to Ash and blinked when she saw Brock and Ash's two other friends turn around and look at them. Both Brock, May, and Max said Ash's name cheerfully and walked toward him happily. Brock also called out to Misty of course. When the three were standing in front of them, Misty paid attention to May, only saying "Hi" to Brock and completely ignoring Max. She looked her up and down and then blinked when their eyes met.

May looked away from Misty and smiled at Ash. "So, are you ready for the championships?" She asked.

Ash smiled at May. "Sure am."

Brock smiled at Ash and nodded. "You seem really excited." Brock said. He remembered that Ash and Misty were together and then blushed, smirking. He was going to say something perverse, but then stopped when he noticed that Misty was looking at him like she was about to take a knife to his throat if he were to say a word. He swallowed nervously and smiled at her sheepishly.

Max smiled at Ash and tugged on his shirt. "Did you bring back any pictures from Hoenn?" He asked, his glasses shining underneath the morning sunshine.

Ash blinked and shook his head with a sympathetic look on his face. "I'm sorry, I didn't. I was…" Ash paused and thought about everything that happened in Kanto, with Misty and with training. He looked at Misty worriedly while he reminisced upon all of the fond memories because he was scared that something had been wrong with her or their relationship because of what had been happening lately. He then looked away from her because she wasn't looking at him anyway and back at Max. "I was so busy training that I forgot." He said, rubbing the back of his head.

Max rolled his eyes at Ash's forgetfulness and crossed his arms. "Well, as long as you put on a good show at the championships and do well, I suppose I won't be angry about it."

Ash laughed at Max. "Okay. I won't let you down."

May nodded. "Yeah, you'll do great Ash. You've worked so hard and now it's finally time to show how much." May said, blushing.

Misty noticed May's blush and blinked. _What?_ She thought to herself. Misty knew that May had something for Ash and she wasn't happy about it. Why would May have blushed like that while complimenting Ash if she didn't? The angry and jealous side of Misty that was more obvious and frequent in her earlier years was beginning to come back like a mutated virus.

Ash smiled back at May. "Thank you."

Brock smiled at all of them and put his hands on his hips. "So, the opening ceremony for the championships is going to start in a little bit, so if we're planning on going, we better get a move on."

Ash blinked. "There's an opening ceremony?" He asked. He was glad that there was, but he never knew.

Brock nodded. "Sure is. They show the audience all of the contestants on the main screen, talk about the history of the league championships and have a ceremony honoring the trophy." Brock said knowledgeably.

Ash smiled excitedly. "Wow! That's so awesome! It's being held at the arena, right?"

May laughed. "Well, duh." She said jokingly.

Ash made a face at May jokingly in return, which caused Misty to be even more perturbed by what was going on. She blinked while looking at Ash with a blank look on her face, hoping that he would notice exactly how he was making her feel, but of course, he didn't. All the excitement had him totally oblivious.

Ash smiled at Brock, May, and Max. "So, let's go then!" He said happily. Ash smiled and began to walk towards the arena, which was right ahead of them. It was very large and a large crowd was in front of it. The five of them walked quickly, but Misty was in the back, keeping her head down while she watched her feet move as she walked.

Once they got to the arena entrance, Ash pulled his ID out so that they could go in. He showed the man that was controlling their line and went through. Because many of the contestants brought their family and friends, May, Brock, Max, and Misty all got to go in without having to show their ID or buying a ticket. The people participating in the event and their guests were permitted to enter first, while those just watching were forced to go into the arena afterwards.  
The five quickly found some good seats. Even though the arena seemed to be crowded from the outside, the inside of the arena was only about a quarter of the way filled because they were still letting in contestants and guests. It was about 10 rows back from the arena floor.

"This place is huge!" May said cheerfully.

"Yeah, the championships are going to be so AWESOME!" Max said delightfully, smiling at his sister.

Brock smiled at how excited Max and May were and was getting pretty excited himself. He was excited about Ash competing, but was even more eager to see the young female contestants that were participating.

Ash smirked at how big the arena was and how many people were there. He was getting really cranked up. In about 24 hours, he'd be on that arena floor, fighting his way to the top. Pikachu was also very pumped, and its grip on Ash's shoulder got tighter. Ash smiled to himself and then leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms arrogantly.

Misty didn't look too excited about everything. She was deep down inside, but the situation with Ash gloomed over her state of mind like a thunderstorm. She could still feel that lump in her throat. Togepi noticed her mood and tried to cheer her up, but it didn't work.

After a few minutes, Misty felt her stomach growl. She hadn't eaten anything for a while, so she decided to get up and go get something from one of the people that walked around selling food. She got up from her seat and then walked past the rest of them so that she could get to the aisle. Ash was on the very end of the row, and he put his foot in front of Misty, smirking and winking at her. "What's the secret password?" He asked jokingly, trying to cheer her up.

Misty blushed, but then sneered down at Ash. She couldn't believe his insensitivity. Couldn't he tell what was bothering her? She gritted her teeth and then took a guess at the password. "How about 'Move your wimpy leg before I kick it so hard it comes off.'?" Misty growled.

Ash stared at her in shock. Misty rolled her eyes and stepped over his leg anyway. Ash blinked at Misty and watched her walk up the aisle. He then frowned and looked down at the ground sadly.  
May, Brock, and Max had seen what just happened.

"What's her problem?" May asked.

Ash ignored May and kept looking down at the ground._ No... _Ash thought to himself. _Why is this happening? _

Brock blinked at Ash. He had some idea of what was going on, because unlike Ash, he could understand a woman's mind. He wanted to tell Ash why Misty was acting the way she was, but he knew that he couldn't talk to him about it in front of May and Max. That would be awkward.

Misty felt some remorse for saying that to Ash while she walked up the aisle, but she was really angry at him. He was being totally ignorant towards her. She spotted a lady with a food cart and walked over to her. She had long black hair and hazel eyes, with tan skin. She was very friendly and smiled at Misty when she encountered her.

Misty gave a weak smile back to her and blinked. "Can I have a blue popsicle?" Misty asked.

The lady smiled and grabbed the popsicle out of her cart. "Here ya' go. That'll be 100 yen."

Misty pulled some change out of her pocket and gave it to the lady, quickly walking away afterwards. She wanted to get back to her seat, because even though she was mad at Ash, she didn't want to miss anything if something were to happen between him and May. Once she got to the aisle, she didn't even look at Ash and instead she just walked right past, sitting down and opening her popsicle while Togepi sat in her lap.

Ash looked at Misty down the row and frowned when he noticed that she wasn't looking at him. He couldn't see very well while Brock, Max, and May sat in between him and Misty, so he leaned back so he could watch her from that angle instead.

Misty popped the popsicle in her mouth and sucked on it, tasting all the flavor. She closed her eyes while she enjoyed its sweetness and then look it out of her mouth, lapping at the sides of it.  
Ash blinked and blushed while he saw her licking at the popsicle. While he didn't really want to think about such things, especially right after they had just gotten in an altercation, he couldn't help but to have perverse thoughts while she ate the popsicle. Misty knew that Ash had been looking at her. She didn't even have to look at him to know that. Whenever he got in an argument with friends, he was concerned, so she knew that he was looking at her because of that. She leaned back while having the popsicle in her mouth and looked over at him, seeing him looking over at her with a blush on his face and his mouth open.

Misty blushed and her eyebrows bent down at Ash in pure anger when she noticed that he was watching her probably not because of concern for her feelings or their status, but because he was getting a hard on.

Ash didn't bother to look away when Misty looked at him. He was too phased by what she was doing to look away, and plus, he was glad that she had noticed him.

Misty then thought of a brilliant idea to make Ash look away and bug off. She smiled to herself and then licked the popsicle even more sexually, slowly moving her tongue up and down the sides of it and sliding it in and out of her mouth slowly. While she did, she made sexual movements with her eyes, her eyebrows, and her neck, making expressions that would be similar to those one would make while they were giving oral sex. Misty then winked at Ash and bit off the popsicle at the half way point and chewed it, swallowing it down quickly.

Ash's eyes opened wide when Misty bit off the popsicle and he quickly looked away, breathing heavily. That sure knocked him out of his train of thought. Afterward, he could feel the excitement that he was gaining in between his legs turn into pain.

Misty giggled at her ingenious attempt and then looked back at the arena floor, finishing the rest of her popsicle. The opening ceremony was about to start, with the couple that would be hosting the event and the championships walking onto the center of the stage.

The arena had filled up quickly. While the five had been talking and Ash and Misty had been thinking about each other and their situation, almost every seat was taken inside of the arena and people were also gathering around outside. The crowd was incredibly merry and were anxious to get the competition on the road.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen to the opening ceremony of the 50th annual Hoenn League Championships! My name is Sarina Simmons and I'll be one of your hosts over the next few days." The female host said into her microphone. She looked like she was in her thirties and she was tall with long, blue hair. Her eyes were bright and brown, glistening under the sunlight. A beautiful smile was on her face as she put her hands into the air, greeting every corner of the arena. She was wearing a small, tight-fitting blue dress and white sandals.

Brock smiled at the host as she welcomed everyone and stood up, holding his hands up like she was and hoping that maybe she would notice him. "Ms. Simmons! You're beautiful!" He yelled out. Max and Misty, who were sitting on either side of Brock while May was sitting next to Ash, stood up and grabbed Brock

The male host walked up to Sarina stood next to her. He smiled largely at the audience, showing off his handsome white teeth. "And I'm your other host, Randy Wright!" He said loudly, holding the microphone up to his mouth. He was slightly taller than his partner and wore a blue tuxedo. He had shiny black hair and bright blue eyes, and was probably the most charming male in the entire arena. "Now, we're going to make the opening ceremony short and sweet because we know all of you trainers are wanting to get back to training."

The female host put her arms down and smiled. "That's right! So now lets welcome the president of the Hoenn League Championships, the daughter of the original Chairman EverGrande, Alaina EverGrande!"

Ash, Brock, May, Max, and Misty all watched closely as the opening ceremony began. They focused their attention towards where the two hosts looked---the doorway at the center of the back wall of the arena, and watched the president of the Championships walk out with a large trophy wheeled out in front of her by two of her male escorts. 

The president was tall with long legs. She had very shiny white skin and long, golden blonde locks, complimented by beautiful, crystal blue eyes. She wore a long, robe-like dress that was white, and golden sandals that twisted all the way up her calf. She smiled to the audience largely, showing off her perfect teeth.

"Damn, she's hot." The male Rocket grunt hooted as he looked at the president. Of course, the two spies were there at the ceremony as well, and the Rocket Grunt's binocular's went from looking at Ash and the gang down to the president's chest.

The female Magma grunt rolled her eyes. "Pay attention to THEM, you pervert." She grunted. She shifted his binoculars back up to their correct position.

The male grunt frowned and looked over at her. "Oh, c'mon…" He whined. He then smiled. "Are you JEALOUS or something?"

The female grunt kept her focus. "In your lousy dreams, you uncouth bastard." She said angrily.

The male grunt laughed. "Haha! Sure are feisty today aren't ya'?" He said. "Good thing because I LOOOVE feisty women." He said. He then thought more perverted thoughts. "Aw… Are you mad because I didn't come last night?"

The female Magma grunt stomped on his foot very powerfully and growled. "Shut…the HELL up."

The male grunt bit his lip in pain, but then nodded and stayed focus. "Yes… Ma'am."

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen!" The president called out. A loud cheer was followed behind her voice and the crowd was going wild. The trophy in front of her was very large and gold, shining beautifully underneath the afternoon sunlight.

"This trophy I have in front of me is what the winner of the Hoenn League Championships will receive, along with 1 million yen!" She cheered. The crowd was stunned at how large the prize was, but was really anxious because they wanted to see who would be the one to earn it.

Ash smiled to himself confidently and kept his eyes on the prize, along with Pikachu. Both of them were very eager to be on the arena floor, dueling it out. May admired how beautiful the president looked, wishing she could be as tall and as pretty as she. Max looked around the crowd for Pokemon, but didn't see very many interesting ones, since that would mostly come for later. Of course, Brock was paying attention to the President's cleavage, and was practically drooling all over himself as he watched her large breasts move when she turned her body so she could face different directions towards the crowd. Misty, instead of getting really involved, just pat Togepi on its head and frowned while she looked down at the ground beneath her. 

The president spoke again into her microphone. "We'll keep this ceremony short so all of the competitors can squeeze in as much training as they can before the big day!" She smiled brightly. "But, before this ends, let's show all of our contestants here on the main screen while we begin our special trophy ceremony!"

On the main screen, the pictures of about 30 people showed up. Half of them were female, and half of them were male. Ash was on the screen, of course, and was near the top, meaning that he would only have to battle the last four remaining contestants (excluding himself, of course). This was because Ash was already a very qualified trainer, and had enough badges to automatically make it into the finals. The rest of the trainers, however, would have to compete against one another the next morning and afternoon, and the finals would be held in the evening. Ash felt somewhat proud that he had already made it into the finals, but also somewhat disappointed, because that meant that he'd do less battling.

Everyone except for Misty in the gang cheered for Ash when his picture appeared. She, instead, was just looking at the beautiful president and the trophy. Maybe if I was that beautiful, Ash would be paying more attention to me? She thought to herself. As the thought of how beautiful she was, her anger from before turned into sadness and bitterness. All the while she was wishing she had longer, lighter hair, ample breasts, longer legs, and a tinier waist so she could look beautiful like the president.

Soon after the screen appeared, Ash, May, and Max all noticed that Brock had his eyes glued on the screen, he, of course, was also drooling and his entire body turned weak. This could only mean one thing, that Brock was in love. Max looked back at the screen to try and discern which one it was. None of them were EXCEPTIONALLY beautiful, except for one. On the screen and near the top, was a picture of a woman who was very tall (The pictures are full-body) and wore all black clothing. She had a short black skirt on, long black boots, and a black, kimono-shaped top with very long sleeves. Her face was fully exposed, except for her eyes, which were concealed by a pair of sharp sunglasses. Her body-type was very slender, but she had plenty of curves, having a perfect, female body. Her hair was golden brown and was very wavy, flowing down to her mid-back. There seemed to be something extremely enigmatic about her. Brock wouldn't pay attention to the trophy ceremony, he would just keep his eyes focused on her picture, as would any hormonal young boy, including Ash, which, of course, did not make Misty very happy. 

"And now, we will perform our trophy ceremony!" The president put her arms in the air in joy and waited until two of her escorts brought out two large, golden buckets of water, one held carefully in each of their arms. She then brought down her arms and got in front of the trophy, but still facing towards the audience. 

"The water in these buckets comes from the waterfall that EverGrande City depends so much on. It is blessed by myself, and is also said to be blessed by the Guardian of Hoenn, the great Lord, Rayquaza." The president spoke. "We will now bless the trophy that will be awarded to the Champion with this water to honor the championships, EverGrande City, Hoenn, and the Pokemon World!"

The crowd went wild after the president finished her sentence. The president then turned around to face the trophy and put her hands together, as if she were praying. The escorts where on either trophy, ready to bless the trophy with the water.

"O, Dear Hoenn. You have provided us with fertile soil, sturdy shelter, and pure water. Everything essential for life. We will be forever grateful for everything that you do for us, and will repay our debt by spreading your love and joy across the world, through this amazing, international challenge and ceremony, the Hoenn League Championships!" The president boomed. The two men on either side of the trophy doused the golden statue with the water they were holding, and it glowed superiorly and incandescently under the noon sunlight. It sparkled beautifully under the bright sky, and everyone cheered as it was blessed.

After the audience died down slightly, the president turned back around and smiled. "Now that the main ceremony has come to its conclusion, please, trainers, work your hardest to reach to the skies and make this the most exciting match yet!" She yelled. The president then walked towards the steps leading towards her resting place as the championships ensued, and the trophy was carried up the stairs carefully and then set down on a small, sturdy pillar that sat next to the president's golden, velvet chair.

The two hosts walked to the center of the arena again and smiled at the audience. "Ah! Wasn't that exciting!" The female host yelled. "Now, if you all would carefully exit the arena so that our staff can decorate and clean up for tomorrow's challenge, it would be greatly appreciated!"

The male host nodded his head. "But, don't worry! If you want to, there is a small fair going on a block down from the arena in celebration for this event!"

Ash smiled at the idea of the fair, but knew that he should probably go home and get more rest. Plus, he noticed that there was something seriously wrong with Misty and wanted to figure out what was bothering her so much. Ash smiled at May, Brock, and Max and got up from his seat and then walked out of the arena, with each of them and Misty following behind. Once they were out of the arena, Ash smiled at May, Brock, and Max.

"You guys, I don't think I want to go to the fair." Ash said.

May frowned. "Oh, c'mon. Why don't you wanna? Everyone else is going." She whined.

"Yeah, Ash. C'mon." Max said after her.

Ash frowned at both of them. "I'm sorry. I just think it'd be better for me to go get some rest before the championships." He said.

Brock nodded. "It's okay, Ash. I understand." He said. Brock looked at Max and May and then at Misty. "Well, I'm going to the fair with you two, of course, but… do you want to go, Misty?" Brock asked.

Misty blinked at his question and then looked at Ash with a blank expression. Ash's expression was a little tense, but was also blank, and it seemed like he didn't want her to go. Misty then looked back at Brock and frowned. "I…don't think I should go either. I'm pretty tired, too." She said.

Brock frowned a bit, but then nodded contently. "It's okay. We'll just see you guys tomorrow at the championships. It's probably better that way anyway." He said. 

May looked at Ash with a blush on her face and she looked disappointed. Misty noticed this, but didn't do anything besides stare at her. Ash looked at May and frowned, but he hoped that she could understand his situation.

Brock looked to Max and May and tilted his head towards where the fair was. "C'mon, guys. Let's go have some fun." He said, beginning to walk towards the excitement.

May and Max reluctantly followed along, but did. They wanted to have fun, too, but they wished that Ash could enjoy all the fun with them.

Once May, Brock, and Max were out of sight, Misty automatically began walking in the direction of the hotel they were staying in, Togepi cradled snugly in her arms. Ash watched her walk away, and then shook his head, following after her. Once he was by her side, he didn't say anything, but only looked down at her feet taking quick steps forward.

Within moments, they arrived at the hotel. They walked in, went up the elevator, and down to their room, without saying a word to one another. From the awkward silence, Ash confirmed to himself that Misty was sad or angry about something, and he'd just have to find out.


	21. Angry Love

Once they were in their room, Misty went over and sat on her bed, while Ash sat on his, Pikachu sitting next to him and laying down on the bed. Ash looked at Pikachu.

"Pikachu, why don't you go play with Togepi in the bathroom?" He asked. He then whispered into Pikachu's ear. "I have to have a talk with Misty."

Pikachu nodded at Ash and then jumped off the bed. Pikachu held its hand in the air and called for Togepi. "Pi Pi Pi!" Pikachu called.

Misty blinked and then let go of Togepi, letting Pikachu play with it. The two were best friends, so they liked to play with each other often. As Togepi jumped into Pikachu's arms and Pikachu then fell, Misty smiled a little, and then watched the two walk off into the bathroom, where Pikachu closed the door after them.

For a few moments, the room was very silent. Both of them looked at one another while the other wasn't looking, but eventually, they both looked at each other at the same time. Neither of them turned away, but instead just examined each other's facial expressions. Ash had a concerned look on his face, while Misty was frowning slightly, still.

Ash blinked. "Misty… Is there something wrong?" He asked.

Misty quickly turned away and looked down to the ground. "No." She said. "It's nothing…"

Ash got up from his bed and sat next to Misty. "C'mon, Misty." He said. "You can tell me what's wrong. Please…"

Misty looked at Ash angrily. "I said nothing's wrong!" She yelled out.

Ash's eyebrows bent and he looked down. "You don't usually act this way… At least not anymore…" He looked back up at her. "I know something is wrong."

Misty began to breathe heavily and her face got red. "Hah…Shut up before I sock you, Ash." She growled.

Ash laughed. "Hah. You can punch me as many times as you want." He said. "I just want to know what's wrong."

Misty gave Ash a menacing look. "Shut…up." She said rather calmly.

Ash laughed again. "I'm not going to shut up."

Misty's eyes widened and she turned around and attempted to slap Ash in the face as hard as she could. However, Ash grabbed her arm quickly before she could and then smirked at her.

Tears began to well up in Misty's eyes, and then she used her other hand to try and hit him, but he only ducked and both of them ended up falling off of the bed and onto the floor, Ash ending up on his back and Misty sitting on top of him, their faces being inches apart.

Misty blushed when she noticed exactly what kind of position they were in, and so did Ash. When Ash saw Misty blush, he smirked at her again. "You've got to tell me what's wrong. I'm not going to quit asking."

Misty noticed Ash blush and she slowly sat up so that they weren't so close. She lost it. How could he act perverse in a time like this? It seemed like all he cared about with her was having attention from her or getting some from her. The tears in her eyes began to well up even more and trickled down her face. She gritted her teeth and then grabbed onto his arms, grasping them firmly and pressing them into the ground.

"Don't you even SEE?" Misty cried. "The entire time we were with them, you didn't even talk to me, or do ANYTHING. No! You paid attention to HER!"

Ash blinked at Misty. He was utterly shocked at how dramatic she was acting, but he knew that she was an emotional girl. Perhaps it was right before her period? He didn't know, but he was surprised by her behavior. Ash shook that thought away and looked seriously at Misty. "You mean May?" He asked.

Misty got angry. "She was the only girl there!" She snapped.

Ash felt like he was about to laugh at this, but he didn't, since he had more respect for Misty than that, instead he frowned and looked off to the side. "Misty… I don't like May that way… AT ALL." He said.

Misty blinked and kept listening.

"Yeah, I used to like her a little bit… But it was only because I was lonely." He said. "She's annoying sometimes and she's too young. She's only 12 now." He said.

Misty was surprised at the age difference, but she didn't know what to say, so she remained silent. Her grasp on Ash's arms got weaker and weaker as he went on.

"But, Misty… I missed you so much and I only liked her a little because I didn't have you…" He said. "But, now that you're here and we've been getting closer, she and I are ONLY friends. I promise…" He paused for a moment and then leaned up a bit so he could look at her more closely… "But, why does it even matter, Misty?"

Misty's eyes opened widely… She didn't answer his question and only blinked. "I…don't believe you." She said.

Ash's look got frustrated. "Why?" He asked sternly.

"Because!" Misty shouted. "You… You looked so happy when you were by her…And the only time you looked at me… I had a popsicle in my mouth!"

Ash blinked, and he was about to talk, but Misty interrupted him.

"You don't even KNOW how I feel!" Misty began. "I feel jealous… used… Like everything that has happened between us doesn't even matter to you… I feel like you don't love—"

"Shut up!" Ash yelled. He couldn't believe he had just said that, but he did. All he knew was that he didn't want Misty to feel unloved. "I DO love you Misty! I've always…loved you…" He said. All of the arguing was now making him a little depressed, and he felt a lump in his throat beginning to develop. Seeing Misty like this… And being in an awkward situation like this… was beginning to be too much for him.

"No, you don't!" Misty yelled again.

Ash couldn't take any more of it. He sat up quickly, knocking Misty onto the ground and now being on top of her. His hands grasped her arms firmly just like hers had done to his before, and he had a raging look in his eyes. "Yes, I do! And don't you ever deny that!" He yelled.

Misty blinked in shock at what Ash had just done. She felt a little intimidated, but very surprised. She blushed as he was on top of her, and soon she looked to the side and her tears began to pick up. She believed him… She didn't want to admit it… But she knew that he loved her… And she loved him just as much.

"I…I'm sorry, Ash…" Misty said.

Ash remained silent for a few moments, but then got closer to her. "It's okay." He said. Tears began falling from his eyes, and they fell down like rain, plopping down on her red cheeks and cooling her off. "I…I just want you to know… I love you with all my heart… You're my best friend… you're my love… And I won't let ANYONE take that away."

Misty's tears began flowing more as he said these words. She was sobbing so much that she could hardly catch her breath, and she shrieked and then wrapped her arms around Ash's back, embracing him in a very sad, yet romantic hug. Ash smiled to himself at this and the amount of love that he felt for her right then was insurmountable.

Both of them thought about how much they had gone through together… All of the battles… All of the awkward situations… And all of the romantic times they had together lately… All of their memories were flowing through their hearts, and they could almost feel the memories flowing between them through a current of love that they could feel connecting their hearts.

The romantic moment was too much to handle. Ash couldn't just sit there, he had an urge within him to show Misty all of the love that he had inside for her, now that she had doubted it… And Misty wanted to do the same thing… She wanted to show him how good of a lover she could be… They wanted to show each other their love.

Misty smiled at Ash. Both of their tears subsided, but their eyes were still watery. They were both blushing severely, since they had been thinking about such romantic things. Ash let go of Misty's arms and instead put his hands on the floor on either side of her head in order to hold himself up. Misty then closed her eyes and tilted her head up, softly kissing Ash on his warm lips.

Ash blushed and smiled to himself when she kissed him. He closed his eyes and kissed her as well, slowly slipping his tongue inside of her mouth. Misty brought her hand up slowly and caressed the side of Ash's face, feeling how warm it was. She then stuck her tongue inside of his mouth as well, their tongues dancing with one another eloquently.

Misty smiled to herself again and licked the tips of Ash's teeth gently, while he licked underneath her tongue. As the kiss got more intense, both of them began to moan a little bit. They could feel their hormones surging throughout their veins as they kissed each other, and Ash and Misty couldn't help but want to go farther. Without breaking off the kiss, Ash brought up one of his hands and also caressed the side of Misty's face. As the kiss progressed, his hand fell lower and lower, and was soon on her neck, and then her collar bone where he dragged his fingertips against it softly, tickling and tantalizing her with every move.

Misty moaned when she felt his fingers against her collarbone, and she wanted to feel him even lower than that. She waited eagerly for him to descend his hand down farther, but didn't know if he would or not. Ash opened his eyes while still kissing her, and Misty opened hers as well. There was a crazed look in both of their eyes, the look that animals get in their eyes when they are in heat.

Ash seemed like he was asking her permission to touch her more by his facial expression, and Misty smiled underneath the kiss and nodded slightly, not wanting to disrupt the kiss. Ash then smiled and closed his eyes, while Misty closed hers. Ash then let his hand descend onto Misty's medium-sized breast. He slowly and gently kneaded it, causing Misty to arch her back and moan intensely under their kiss. Her eyebrows tilted upward slightly as he touched her, and she felt euphoric as his pointer finger gently pinched at her growing nipple.

Misty soon let go of the kiss, needing to come up for air. The kiss probably would have been uncomfortable soon anyway because of how much she was starting to moan. Ash smiled at her reaction and then let go of her breast. He then got up from where he was laying and Misty also sat up. She was wondering what he was doing, but went along with it.

Ash soon sat behind Misty and his legs touched hers as they were both spread out and apart in the same position. He then slipped his hands underneath her arms and gently grasped her breasts again, kneading both of them slowly.

Misty tilted her head back in pleasure as he did this to her, and she moaned into his ear. Ash smiled again and massaged them a little more quickly and roughly with each moan that she let out between her lips. The more she got aroused, the more he got aroused, meaning the more Misty could feel Ash's erection pressing at her lower back and backside. And this aroused her even more. It was like a circle of love and pleasure and they were going all around it.

The pleasure that Ash was feeling was too much to keep doing what he was doing. He needed to progress. So, he let one of his hands trail down Misty's stomach and slipped his hand into her shirt, pulling it up as he felt up her stomach, still touching her with his other hand. Ash soon quickly pulled her shirt off and threw it next to them, so that her breasts were now only covered by her white bra.

Ash smiled and then put her hands on her again, making her moan. He then pulled her bra over her breasts, revealing them. They were perfect and soft, a small C-size, and she had perky pink nipples. Ash then took each of them in his hands and kneaded them, causing Misty to moan loudly. He also kissed up her shoulder and then licked on her neck, leaving a trail of saliva on her soft skin. Misty moaned even more loudly when she felt his wet tongue touching her skin, and arched her back. Ash then let one of his hands descend again down her stomach and then touched the area between her legs, rubbing on it slowly.

"Oh, god… Ash…" Misty moaned.

Ash smirked and whispered in her ear… "Misty…" He said. "Do you want to feel me touch you… And feel me inside of you?" He asked. He then nibbled on her ear.

Misty panted softly. "Yes!…" She sighed.

Ash smiled and then moved his hand up so that he could unbutton her pants. Misty assisted him in this, and pulled them off while he still kneaded her breast and circled his finger around her nipple. She then threw her head back onto his shoulder again and closed her eyes, taking in all the pleasure her lover was giving her.

Ash smiled and slipped his hand into her panties, rubbing her slit. He thought he would feel hairs down there, but he didn't, so he guessed Misty shaved. He thought it was weird at first that she did it, but he also kind of thought it was sexy that she paid that much attention to herself down there. He tilted his head down and kissed her on the lips while he kneaded her breast and teased at her slit with his middle finger, just barely touching the most sensitive place on her body.

Misty moaned under their kiss, and her cheeks were beet red by now, and so were Ash's. She stuck her tongue into his mouth and massaged his tongue with her own. Ash then moved his middle finger farther down, rubbing Misty's erect clit with the tip of his finger ever-so-lightly. This made Misty shutter intensely, and she shook with pleasure. As he accelerated the rubbing motion, Misty began to thrust her hips against him so that she could feel more friction upon her clit.

Ash smiled and then let his finger slip even further down, prodding at her entrance and feeling how wet it was. He could tell that she was extremely aroused, with her chest poking out, her back arched, her moans vibrating within their kiss, her hips thrusting back and forth quickly, and her entire body shaking. He pressed against her hole a little more, but then brought his hand off of her when her bucking motion began to slow down because of how much pleasure she got. Ash guessed that she had an orgasm because of how she became weak after thrusting her hips so much, but he wasn't sure. After all, he didn't know much about that kind of stuff. But, it was her first time being touched there by someone, so it probably was.

Misty smiled to herself weakly and slowly turned around to face Ash. She smiled at him wickedly and blushed. "Now it's my turn to pleasure you." Misty said.

Ash smiled back at her and bent an eyebrow. "You've been pleasuring me." He said. Misty laughed. "You… You know what I mean." She said nervously. The more she thought about what she would do to him, the more nervous she got. She really hoped he would like it as much as she liked what he did to her.

Ash smirked at her and then leaned against the wall behind him. Seeing Misty there, topless and only with her panties on in that crouched like a cat position turned him on. He couldn't wait any longer, so he asked her to "come here" by moving his fingers in that motion. Misty smiled and then sat in front of him, placing her hands on his shoulders and giving him a forceful, passionate kiss. After they had kissed for a few moments, Misty let her hand trail down Ash's stomach and then lifted his shirt up off of his head like he had done to her. Once it was off, she threw it to the side, where the pile of clothes was getting started.

After his shirt was off, Misty began to lick down Ash's chin and then down his neck, eventually reaching his nipple, which stood perky atop his developing pectoral muscle. She smiled and then licked around it teasingly. Ash groaned a little while she lapped at his nipple, and thrusted his chest out a little. With her fingers, she played with his other nipple as well. Misty didn't know if he really liked it because he wasn't as sensitive as she was there, but it seemed to her like he did, so she continued for a few moments.

While she kept suckling at his nipple, her hand that had been fondling his other nipple slid down his torso and felt his muscles, and then reached his shorts where Misty eagerly unbuttoned his pants. Ash moaned more loudly now, because he knew what was going to come next. Misty ceased her nipple-licking and sat up so she could take off his shorts. She did it slowly and teasingly, just to torture him. While she did, she had that look on her face that she had before. Ash assisted her in taking off his pants, because he couldn't wait any longer.

Once they were off and thrown to the side, Misty looked in between Ash's legs and saw his erection poking out. She gasped and blushed at this, but she was really aroused by seeing it. After a moment, she smirked at Ash and then crawled closer, kissing him again and then bringing her hand down in between his legs, rubbing his erection softly with her hand.

Ash tilted his head back in pleasure as she rubbed him, and he moaned very loudly. The pleasure he was feeling, he almost couldn't bear it. This was the first time he was ever touched by anyone but himself, and he was so glad that he was sharing this with Misty. As Misty kept kissing him and rubbing him, Ash's erection grew much larger and harder. This was very pleasurable for him, but he wanted to feel more… So much more.

Ash broke away from the kiss slowly and then grabbed his boxers and began to pull them down. However, Misty stopped him by taking his hands within her own. She then smirked at him. "Let me do it." She said softly into his ear.

Ash blushed at this and smiled. "O-Okay." He said, shaking with pleasure.

Misty smiled to herself and then descended down to the floor, her face being right next to the waistband of his boxers. She then went in closer and bit the waistband, her nose pressing against his skin. She pulled his boxers down and Ash sat up so that she could pull them off more easily. As he felt her chin brush against his erection, he shuttered. Misty then took his boxers off completely with her hands as soon as they were at his legs and threw them to the side. She hadn't looked at him yet, but as soon as she turned, she did.

Ash looked at her eagerly and partially embarrassed as Misty stared at his privates, speechless. Her eyes were wide, and her cheeks were very red. Ash's penis was very erect, and was a reddish purple color, showing how turned on he was. It had to be at least 6 inches long. Unlike Misty, he was not shaved down there, but his pubic hairs were pretty short, and they were jet black just like his hair.

Misty smiled at Ash, but kept her eyes on it. She was dazed and was very surprised that she was actually looking at him… naked. _I've only seen this in my wildest dreams!_ She thought to herself. "It's really… b-big…" She said while she kept staring at it.

Ash smiled at her. He was very embarrassed, but aroused at the same time. "Misty…" He said to her, trying to get her attention.  
Misty blinked and then looked at Ash. "It is…" She said.

Ash smiled at her. "So, what are you going to do next?" He asked. Everything before this just came natural to him because it wasn't THAT big of a deal. But now, he was naked in front of the girl who he loved most. Misty was in the same situation, and she didn't really know what to do either, so she decided that she should just get naked as well.

Misty smiled at Ash and then took her bra off the rest of the way. Ash watched every one of her movements, smiling back at her. After it was off and thrown to the side, she smiled at him again and took off her panties, revealing her soft, wet pinkness to Ash. She was very wet down south, and her pink flesh was almost glistening under the light. Her clit was swollen, and her entrance throbbed slightly as she took deep breaths.

Ash looked at her down there, and then he licked his lips. Misty shivered at the sight of him licking his lips and wondered if he wanted to… you know… lick her down there. Misty then got an idea… She remembered something she saw on late night TV one time, where two people face opposite directions and then… lick each other in their private areas. Misty wanted to suggest this to Ash, so they could pleasure each other at the same time. Even though she was nervous, she thought she'd better just ask, especially because of how hot the situation was getting.

"Um… Ash?" Misty began.

Ash blinked. "Hmm?"

Misty smiled. "Well, uh… I saw this thing on TV one time… and I think we should… t-try it." She said nervously.

Ash smiled. "Well. Don't tell me about it… Sh…Show me." He said.

Misty nodded. "O…Okay. Lie down." She said.

Ash smiled. "Yes ma'am." He said sarcastically. Ash scooted up a little and stretched out on the floor.

Misty giggled. "Okay, now close your eyes."

Ash nodded and closed his eyes.

Misty smiled and then crawled over to him. She placed her legs on either side of him and they were facing opposite directions. Misty's face was only a few inches away from the tip of Ash's erection and Ash was only a few inches away from Misty's slit. Misty smiled and blushed to herself. "You can open your eyes now." She said to him.

Ash smiled and then opened his eyes, his eyes widening when he saw that Misty's slit was right above his face. He had also heard of this position before. Who hadn't? By now, any teenager knew what "69" was. Ash was very eager to begin and this eagerness grew stronger the more he sniffed in the air around him, inhaling Misty's faint, musky, and delicious scent.

"Are you ready?" Misty asked.

Ash chuckled. "I… I am if you are." He said. Misty closed her eyes as she felt Ash's breath hit against her flesh.

Misty smiled. "Okay…" She said, confirming that they were going to begin. Misty then looked down at Ash's erection and then closed her eyes, leaning down her face and licking around the tip top of its head.  
Ash moaned loudly as he felt Misty's kitten-like tongue against his penis. He arched his back and then immediately wanted to give Misty the same pleasure she was giving him. So, he tilted his head up and placed his tongue on her clit, licking at it back and forth as it got bigger and bigger.

Ash felt Misty moan against his penis as he licked her. Misty then wrapped her lips around his head softly and licked around it in a light circular motion. This was almost too much for Ash to bear. He arched his back even more and moaned as loud as Misty was. He then lapped at Misty's clit faster and faster, darting his tongue at it and tasting her body.

Misty's moans vibrated against Ash's penis and Ash's moans vibrated against Misty's clit. The sensations were almost too much to bear for the each of them, and they found it very hard for them to not fall to the ground motionless as they shook with pleasure.

When Ash took Misty's clit between his lips, she collapsed onto the ground next to Ash. It was a good thing because Ash couldn't really take it anymore either with Misty sucking on his head. He wanted to feel her from the inside. He wanted it all. He just hoped that she wanted the same thing.

Misty smiled at Ash and blushed. "I'm sorry… that just… it felt so good. I couldn't take it." She said.

Ash looked at her and smiled. "Me either." He said.

Misty kept looking at him. She still had that crazed look in her eyes… Like she wanted something more. And so did Ash.

Misty smiled at Ash. "So… What do you want to do now?" She asked.

Ash put a finger to his mouth and whispered _Shhhh… _He then smiled at her. "You got to show me what you wanted to do… N-now… I want to… sh-show you." He said semi-nervously and semi-confidently.

Misty smiled at him and nodded. "I'm yours, Ash." She said, blushing.

Ash smiled back at her. "And I'm yours." He responded.

Ash then got up from where he was sitting and got on his knees. He crawled over to Misty, who had her legs spread in front of him. She was looking up at him with her sparkling, blue eyes and her strawberry blonde hair was half-way out of its pony tail. _Damn… She looks so beautiful… _Ash thought as he gazed at her nude, pale, and fragile body. He wanted more than anything to make love to her… He wanted to become one with her… And show her exactly how much he loved her.

Misty smiled at him again and nodded. She knew what he was going to do… And she wanted him badly. She wanted to feel his manhood inside of her womanhood, it feel his eel inside of her cave… or whatever other metaphors for sexual intercourse there are.

Ash got closer to her and grasped the side of her legs, pulling her in towards him. His erection was centimeters away from her hot entrance. Misty bent her legs so that he could position his hands on the backs of her knee-caps, holding her legs as if they were reigns. This meant that Misty's soft backside was resting against the top of Ash's thighs. He smiled at her and then closed his eyes, moving his hips forward.

Within moments, Misty felt Ash's swollen head press against her entrance. She gasped out in pleasure as she felt this, and as Ash felt her wet skin against him, he groaned. Misty bent her eyebrows upward and closed her eyes, but then opened them again. She blushed deeply and looked up at him, deeply into his chocolate brown eyes.

"Do it to me… Ash…" Misty moaned. "But… go gentle… a-at first."

Ash smiled and blushed deeply. He then closed his eyes and pushed in a little farther, his head slowly entering her. Misty shrieked as he did this, in both pain and pleasure. He pushed in more, and then he felt a pop inside of her, and a small amount of blood trickled out as the result officially loosing her virginity. Ash had now lost his virginity also, and his erection began to slightly throb inside of her from how good this was feeling. Misty cried out when she broke, but it felt both discomforting and good at the same time. His head was inside of her now and Misty looked up at him with a very romantic look in her eyes, and Ash returned the same look.

Ash then closed his eyes again and began to slide himself deeper inside of her. Misty threw her head back as he entered her, and arched her back as she felt every inch of Ash penetrating her. After the sluggish entrance, Ash's head finally reached Misty's cervix, and Misty moaned as she felt his head gently hit against it.

Misty looked at Ash, blushing. "Do it harder…" She moaned.

Ash blushed and shivered when she said this to him, and it was good that she gave him permission, because all of the waiting teased the hell out of him. Ash then quickly thrust his hips backward, retracting himself, only to lunge his hips forward again quickly, and piercing the end of Misty's tunnel with his hard dick. He paused there just to make sure she would be okay.

"Unnnh!" Misty screamed in pleasure.

Ash groaned and he began to sweat as he felt Misty's vaginal walls contracting against his penis. "Oh god Misty…" He panted.

Misty looked at Ash. "Keep doing it!" She cried.

Ash then moved his hips back again and jerked his hips into her again, then repeating the same motion over and over again. The grasp on Misty's legs became tighter and tighter, and soon he was digging his nails into her fragile skin.

As Misty felt Ash thrust into her faster and faster, she moved her hips rhythmically with Ash's and her nails dug into the floor beneath them. Her breasts bounced up and down with each movement, and she moaned out loudly each time Ash rocketed into her. Now, it was just a steady motion.

"Faster!" Misty cried out. She was sensitive down there, but she wanted to feel him giving her all he had. She wanted to feel his strength… She wanted as much pleasure as she could get.

Ash groaned and then let go of Misty's legs, instead grabbing her hips. He pulled her in closer and got a better grip, so he could meet her wishes and show her how much he wanted to please her and love her.

Misty cried out when Ash took hold of her hips and kept moving her hips along with his. She could feel her entire body tensing up and her vaginal walls contracting around him. She felt like she wanted to have a release, but she wasn't quite there yet. Ash also felt like he was about to reach his sexual climax, but he, too, wasn't there yet. Wanting to share that special moment with Misty was all he wanted to do, and he picked up the pace.

As Ash accelerated his pace and the two banged their bodies against one another faster and faster, slapping sounds could be heard from Ash's swollen ball sack slapping against Misty's ass. He was going almost as fast as he could now, as fast as a raging turbine, causing Misty's breasts to fly up and down.

Both of them panted loudly as they were about to reach the tip of the mountain. Ash's body was hot and sweaty, and so was Misty's they were in the state of sexual euphoria, and through that, they shared their love…

"Oh, Ash!" Misty moaned out as he thrust into her harder and harder. "_Fuck_ me!" She could feel her walls getting gaped apart by him, and her entire body shuttered at all of the friction and pleasure she was feeling.

Ash's eyes widened at her expression and how beautiful and delicate she looked as he gave himself to her. He then threw his head back in pleasure. "Mis… ty…" Ash panted. "I love you!" He growled out.

"I love you too!" Misty screamed. She then felt her entire body freeze and her vaginal walls contracted repetitively against Ash's member. Her fluids gushed out all over Ash's penis as he rode her, adding extra lubrication so he could reach it too.

After a few more thrusts, Ash could feel himself about to erupt. His penis felt hot and raw from so much pleasure, and he wanted to let it all out. "I'm coming!" He yelled out. He didn't bother ejecting himself, because if Misty was about to have her period like he sensed she was, he didn't have to really worry about impregnating her.

"Ash!" Misty screamed as she felt that final, strong thrust. Ash's fluids then spilled out into her, and mixed with her own. It kept flowing and flowing, and their juices mixed together and dripped down onto the floor beneath them.

After the two had come, Ash let go of Misty and then slowly ejected himself from her, then collapsing on the floor right next to her. The smell of sex was throughout the room and both of them could not even say a word because of how much afterglow they were experiencing. The only thing they could do was look at each other, with soft smiles on their faces.

After a few moments, Misty's afterglow died down a little. "I love you…" She said to Ash.

Ash smiled at her. "I love you too, Misty."

"That felt so good, Ash." Misty said.

Ash nodded. "It did." He said with a weird smirk on his face.

Misty nodded. "It was weird and embarrassing at first, but… then…" Misty didn't even say how it was, but then just sighed.

After a few moments, Misty sat up and looked at the clock. It was already 3pm. She looked around for Togepi and Pikachu, but then remembered that they were in the bathroom. She grabbed her clothes and then walked into the bathroom, seeing Togepi and Pikachu snoozing away by the bathtub. She smiled at them and then cleaned herself up and changed into her clothes.

Ash soon came in after her to do the same thing. Once they were both done, they sat on the same bed and embraced each other.

Ash smiled at Misty. "I don't think you realize how beautiful you are." Ash said.

Misty laughed. "And I doubt you realize how handsome you are." She said.

The two were silent for a few moments, but then Misty looked at Ash and decided to break the silence. "So, what do you want to do next?"

Ash yawned. "Well, I'm pretty tired from all of that. Aren't you?" He asked, smiling.

Misty nodded. "I sure am." She said. "And plus, we all better get some rest before tomorrow."

Ash's eyes widened in surprise. "Haha… I almost forgot with all that has been going on."

Misty giggled. "Me too." She said. "But… Don't worry. You'll do fine."

Ash smiled at her. "Thanks… For always being there, Misty."

Misty smiled back. "You too."

Ash smiled at her again. "That felt...so good." He complimented.

Misty nodded. "Mmmmhm. Well, one time I think I heard that post-argument sex is supposed to be really good." She said. Both of them laughed after that and smiled to each other.

After a few moments of silence. Misty smiled to herself. "Well, they're already sleeping, so we'd better get some too if we want to catch up with them." She said.

Ash laughed. "Yep."

Misty smiled. "Well… I'm going to get into bed, then." She said.

Ash frowned at Misty. "Do you want to sleep together?"

Misty blinked. Ash took the thoughts right out of her mind, but she was too afraid to ask. "I'd love to…But do you really want to with all that is going on tomorrow?" She asked.

Ash nodded. "I'll sleep better when I'm next to you."

Misty blushed and then lied down in bed, and Ash followed her. Once they were lying next to each other, Ash wrapped his arms around Misty and brushed her hair aside so he could kiss her cheek. "I love you, Misty…"

Misty smiled. "I love you too, Ash…" She said. "More than you'll ever know."

The two then peacefully drifted off to sleep, which was not a problem, especially because of what had happened before. The afterglow caused their dreams to be vivid and comforting and they both dreamed about the Hoenn League Championships, and what their future with one another would bring.


	22. Into the Arena

Chapter 22

The next morning, both Ash and Misty were asleep very peacefully and all cuddled up on the bed, until they heard a sudden knock on the door. Both of them woke up at the same time and got up from where they were laying. They were pretty groggy looking, even though they were incredibly well rested. They had gotten about 20 hours of sleep!

Misty walked to the door and opened it, and while she walked by, she noticed that Togepi and Pikachu were still snoozing on the floor. _What sleepy heads._ She thought.

Once the door was completely open, Misty jumped a little bit when she noticed that Professor Oak and Delia were standing right in front of her.

Misty smiled. "Um… Hi." She said, slightly embarrassed. There was really not much to be embarrassed about… She was fully clothed, and so was Ash. She just hoped that they wouldn't notice anything, or whatever.

Professor Oak smiled at Misty. "Good morning." He said. "It's time to go. The Championships start in an hour." He said. He then blinked and sniffed in a little bit, smelling something funny. "Hm. Your room smells different. Are you guys cooking something?" He asked.

Misty blushed immediately at Professor Oak's question. _Just great…_She thought. _I knew something like this would happen. _After a second, Misty blinked and then tried to not be nervous or embarrassed about it. If she was, she'd give herself away.

"Uh… Yeah! We were cooking some miso." She said quickly. She then thought about what else Professor Oak had said and tilted her head to the side in confusion. "And doesn't Ash start at like 4 in the evening or something?" She asked.

Professor Oak frowned when Misty said they had eaten Miso. "You were cooking breakfast… and you didn't even invite us?" Professor Oak whined. He then looked off to the side and smiled at Misty when she inquired about the Hoenn League Championships. "Ah, yes. Ash goes on stage at 4pm, but I thought you two might like to see the rest of the show."

Soon, Ash came to the door and stood beside Misty. He had heard their conversation, so he had no problem joining in. "I think I'll just come when it is my turn. I want for everything to be a surprise for me." He said. "Plus, we're no where near ready. The Pokemon are still sleeping."

Professor Oak frowned at Ash, but then nodded. "Well, okay. Just make sure that you're on time, young man!" He said sternly.

Ash laughed. "Don't worry, Professor." He said calmly. Ash then smiled at his mother. "I'll be fine."

Ash's mother smiled back at him and nodded. "Of course." She cheered. "My little boy is going to be the best there!"

Ash blushed in embarrassment and then he began to close the door. "Okay, you two, enjoy yourselves." He said monotonously.

Professor Oak and Delia smiled at each other as soon as the door was closed and then headed off towards the hotel entrance, ready to start a great day.

"That… was close." Misty said giggling.

Ash nodded. "Sure was." He said. He walked into the bathroom and turned on the light, which woke Pikachu and Togepi up. "Come on, you guys. We've seriously got to get ready."

Pikachu and Togepi groggily got up just like Ash and Misty had done before. Once they were up though, Togepi waddled out of the bathroom and crawled into Misty's bag since it knew it would probably have to stay in there for most of the day, and Pikachu walked out of the bathroom as well, but instead just hopped up on Ash's bed and thought about what would happen that afternoon.

"Well…" Misty began. "I think I'm going to go take a shower now."

Ash smiled at her and blushed. "Okay…" He said. "Just… try to hurry because I'd like to take Pikachu to get a massage before we go to the championships and I'd also like to get something to eat."

Misty smiled back at him. "Well, would you like to take one together to save time?" She asked.

Ash's eyes widened at her suggestion, but he was liking it already. He blushed deeply and then nodded. "If… If you really want to… I guess it wouldn't be that big of a deal, now would it?" He asked, winking at her.

Misty blushed at him and giggled. "Nope." She responded.

The two got undressed quickly and then stepped into the shower, closing the door after them. Ash looked Misty up and down while they stood close to one another, and Misty did the same to Ash.

Ash blushed and then smiled at Misty. "How do you like your water?" He asked.

Misty smiled. "I just like it warm." She said.

Ash nodded. "Me too."

Ash turned towards the faucet and turned it to the shower setting and the warm setting, the warm water soon spraying down on their bodies. He then turned back around to face Misty, and wrapped his arms around her in a sweet hug. Misty blinked at his actions, but then she closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around him too. He made her feel warmer than the water that was hitting her face.

"Last night was amazing…" Ash said, still embracing Misty in the tight hug.

Misty rubbed her face lovingly against Ash's. "Words can't describe how amazing it was." Misty said in Ash's ear.

Ash pulled away from the hug and looked into Misty's eyes for a few moments. He then smiled at her and gave her a soft, long kiss on the lips, while he held her shoulders, his hands soon sliding down her back and to her backside, where he rubbed along her smooth skin. This made her moan loudly underneath the kiss, and while Ash touched her, Misty rubbed Ash's back in a smooth massage.

After a few moments, the two broke off of the kiss and looked into each other's eyes again. The moment was very romantic… In the hot shower, so close to one another.

"I love you." Misty said.

Ash smiled. "I love you too." He said back to her.

After another few moments of holding Ash, Misty looked at him and smiled. "Well, we better finish up if we want to get going." She said. She grabbed the soap and broke the bar in half so that she could use one and Ash could use the other.

Ash smiled at Misty while he rubbed the soap all over his chest and his neck. "You have no idea how much I would love to have us wash each other right now…" He began. "But, that would probably… you know. And we'd end up being late." He said chuckling.

Misty smiled. "Yeah… I wish we had more time." She said sexily as she washed her chest as well. Ash stared at her while she touched her own breasts, and it was arousing him incredibly. He then washed his stomach and let his hand with the soap in it fall down to his privates, washing them while watching Misty bathe with her eyes closed.

When Misty brought the soap down between her legs, Ash could feel himself getting an erection. _Goodness! _He thought. _Having a penis is SO inconvenient sometimes. _Oh, how he wanted more than anything to feel what he felt last night… That rush of love and power he felt from her… The warmth and the passion. He wanted to feel it every night of his life.

As Misty moaned a little while washing herself down there, Ash tried his best to refrain from grabbing Misty and beginning to fondle her. He knew such actions wouldn't be respectful, but goodness, he couldn't help himself from having such thoughts. And when Misty opened her eyes and smiled at him, blushing, all he wanted to do was flip her over on the side of the bathtub and give himself to her again and again. His arousal was so much to bare that he didn't even wash himself, but instead just stared at her.

"Ash, can I stand where you are so that I can rinse myself off?" Misty asked.

Ash wasn't even listening. All he was doing was looking at her glistening skin and thinking about how much he wanted to touch it.

Misty smiled and then moved her hand in front of Ash's face. "Ash?" She tried to get his attention.

Ash blinked at Misty and then shook his head. He blushed deeply. "Er…What?" He asked.

Misty rolled her eyes at him. _He's turning into Brock. _She thought. She then smiled at him again. "Can we switch places so I can rinse myself off?" She repeated.

"Oh!" Ash smiled. He quickly stepped back so that Misty could get in front of him, but things didn't really work out that way. Instead, Ash ended up slipping inside of the bathtub, falling straight on his ass, and Misty fell right on top of him, sitting on his thighs, his partially erect penis resting right against her pubic area.

Misty blushed and looked down, blushing immediately after. She then looked to Ash and giggle. "Ah… I'm sorry." She said.

Ash blushed back. "It was my fault." He said, enjoying this moment. His erection got bigger and bigger.

Misty tried to get up from where she was sitting, and thankfully for the sake of saving time, she did. If they had all the time in the world, she would have loved to have sit there and make love to him again, especially from having felt his erection against her, but she knew they couldn't do that.

When Misty stood up, Ash stood up too and then smiled at her. He watched her rinse off and then when she was finished, Misty got behind him again and Ash rinsed off. _If only we had more time…_Ash thought. Then they could have made love again… Misty sitting on top of Ash while he sat in the bathtub, moving her hips back and forth slowly upon him… With the hot and steamy air…! _Gah! _Ash thought. _I have the biggest championships of my life in a few hours and I'm thinking about THAT now?_ He shook his head and tried to shake his arousal off, and eventually, it worked.

Once they were all finished, Ash and Misty both stepped out of the shower and dried themselves off. They didn't say a word to each other, especially because of that awkward situation back there. Plus, both of them were pretty sexually frustrated, so if they attempted to say something, it'd probably come out sounding like it was in a different language.

Once they were finished drying off, both of them got dressed and ready to head out. Misty grabbed her bag, which Togepi was in, and Ash put his backpack around his bag and let Pikachu jump up on his shoulder. The two then quickly left the hotel, wanting to forget about what happened earlier as quickly as possible so that Ash could do his best that afternoon.

Once they were out on the street, Ash and Misty could hear the cheering, music, and attacks of the Hoenn League Championships. The sounds could be heard throughout the city, and there were television screens on buildings that featured live footage from the Championships. The excitement got Ash very excited, and he could hardly wait to begin.

While walking, Ash and Misty grabbed a bite to eat at a nearby restaurant, where Ash got some chicken tempura, and Misty got some shrimp tempura. It was a lot of food to eat, so both of them gave some of it to their Pokemon. They also got some bottles of ramune to drink and figured that they should just eat while they walked down the street, since it was finger food anyway.

Ash was looking out for the place where he would take Pikachu to get its massage. The salon was called Salon EverGrande, of course, and it was supposed to be a very small and colorful shop. While they walked, Ash and Misty talked about the championships, trying to erase what happened earlier, even though deep down inside they didn't want to.

Misty took a sip of her ramune. "So… Which Pokemon are you going to use, Ash?" She asked.

Ash smiled at Misty and was glad that she asked. He was so glad that he had someone to talk about Pokemon with, and was so glad that it was the girl he loved. He felt like he was in paradise with all of the adrenaline pumping through his body.

"Well… I'm definitely using Pikachu in part of it." Ash stated. "And… I don't know about the rest. It really just depends on what my opponent uses, you know?"

Misty smiled at Ash. "Yeah, that's a really good way of thinking." She complimented.

Ash blushed and smiled back. "Thanks…" He said. "I think I might just have to use Sceptile, too… I mean, Sceptile IS a very strong Pokemon. You know?"

Misty nodded. "Yeah." She said. She then chuckled. "I know from personal experience."

Ash nodded remembering the battle that they had when they first met up together. Goodness, that seemed so long ago… Even though it was really only about a month ago. "Yep." He said, reminiscing.

After a few more blocks, Ash and Misty found what they had been looking for. The building, like Ash had heard, was very small and colorful. They walked in slowly and surprisingly, the place wasn't very busy at all. But, then again, the championships WERE going on right then, and all of the ones who didn't make it to the finals right away, which were most of the people, were dueling it out in the arena.

Ash and Misty waited to be helped. Fortunately, it didn't take very long and a man dressed in tight black pants, a loose hanging red shirt, and green boots walked up to them. He had eyeliner on and black lipstick. His hair was very spiky and was a sandy blonde color, and he had dark brown eyes. His colleague soon walked up and joined him. She was very thin and short, had on a black skirt, a purple tank top, and black and white stripped stockings with no shoes. She also had on eyeliner and black lipstick, but her hair was dyed a light pink and was in pig tails. Her eyes were also chocolate brown.

"Well hello there!" The male said, clapping his hands together.

"Welcome to Salon EverGrande!" The female said.

Ash and Misty looked at each other with weird looks on their faces. They then looked back to the employees.

Ash smiled at the two. "Um… I heard this was a massage therapy place?" Ash asked.

The two both nodded excitedly. "We like, also do make-up, manicures, and haircuts!" The male exclaimed.

Ash smiled and looked at Misty. "Sorry, Misty. We don't have time for you to get a _makeover_." He said remembering a few years back when Misty had gone to _Salon Rocket_ to get a makeover and she looked hideous afterwards.

Misty glared at Ash. "Don't worry. I wasn't planning on it." She said monotonously.

Ash then nudged her a little and smiled at her. "I'm only kidding." He said.

Misty smiled back. "I know, silly." She said. "Now let's get Pikachu its massage."

The two employees smiled at Ash. "You want us to give your Pikachu a massage?" They both asked in unison.

Ash blinked. "Yeah." He said.

The female employee smiled. "Okay!" She said. "You do know that it will be free because of the big day!"

Ash blinked and then smiled excitedly. "Oh, wow. I didn't know it was free." He said.

The male employee rolled his eyes. "Uh… Duh! We aren't going to like, charge you on the day of the Hoenn League Championships! You silly boy."

Ash's eyebrows bent and then he looked up at Pikachu. "Well, it's time to get your massage buddy, you ready?" He asked.

Pikachu smiled and jumped over onto one of the massaging chairs that were next to them. The two employees scrambled over to it, starting immediately on Pikachu's pampering session.

"Aww… this is so cute." Misty said.

Ash smiled at Misty. "Not as cute as you." He teased.

Misty blushed at him and giggled.

Ash and Misty watched Pikachu get its massage. They smiled whenever Pikachu let out a sigh and Togepi watched as well, peeping out of Misty's bag. It was a little jealous that Pikachu was getting a massage, but was fine since it knew it wouldn't be doing any battling.

Both of the employees were rubbing their hands all over Pikachu, paying attention mostly to its ears and its cheeks, the most sensitive spots on its body. Once they were done rubbing it down, they put a special lotion all over Pikachu's short fur. The aroma of this lotion smelled very good, and it would make Pikachu more refreshed and relaxed about battling. After the lotion was lightly applied, they rubbed Pikachu again, and then Pikachu was done.

"Kaa!" Pikachu sighed after the massage. It looked like it loved it very much and quickly jumped off the seat, feeling very refreshed. Pikachu looked up at Ash and smiled, holding its paw up into the air confidently. "Pika!" It cheered.

Ash and Misty both smiled down at Pikachu.

"Did it feel good buddy?" Ash asked.

Pikachu nodded excitedly and jumped up onto Ash's shoulder. Once Pikachu was on there, Ash rubbed his face against Pikachu's, admiring his best Pokefriend. While they shared that moment together, Misty smiled. _Ash is so wonderful…_She thought as she pondered upon how great Ash was to his Pokemon.

"Ah! We did such a good job, Kat!" The male therapist cheered. He gave his colleague a high-five.

"We sure did!" She said excitedly.

Ash and Misty thanked the two therapists for what they did and Misty, wanting to treat Ash to everything on this special day (she had paid for lunch too), gave the two a tip.

"Aw, thank you!" The two therapists said in unison. They smiled at each other. The male therapist then smiled really big. "Hehe, a little bit more for our shopping session later, Kat!" The two therapists then hugged each other, said thank you one last time to Ash and Misty, and then went on to take care of their next customer.

Ash blinked at Misty and smiled at her. "Misty… You didn't have to do that." He said. "And you didn't have to pay for lunch either."

Misty smiled at Ash. "Ash… It's YOUR day today. Don't worry about it."

Ash smiled at Misty and blushed, thinking about how sweet she was. He then leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for everything, Misty."

Misty blushed at Ash's actions and then smiled, nodding her head. "It's… it's no problem at all. My pleasure." She said, a little embarrassed, yet a little glad that he had shown his love for her in public.

Ash and Misty looked into each others eyes for a few moments, and then Misty looked at the clock in the salon. It was already 3pm, and Ash would go on stage at 4pm. She then looked back at Ash and smiled. "It's almost time." She said. "We should get going."

Ash smiled at Misty and nodded. "Let's go then." He said. He then took her hand gently and walked out of the salon and down the street towards the arena, which had people crowding around it already. Both of them were smiling and beaming as they walked down the busy sidewalk, holding hands. Ash's pulse picked up as they got closer and closer, and Misty could feel it. Looking over to Ash, she smiled at him and squeezed his hand lovingly.

"Don't worry, Ash…" Misty said. "You'll do great."

Ash looked over to her and blushed. He appreciated her compliment, but the closer he got, the more nervous and excited he got. He didn't know if he was going to win or lose, but as long as he did his best, that's all that mattered. He just hoped that everything would co well tonight, and that he'd have the Pokemon battles of a lifetime.

"Aww… They're so cute together!" The male rocket grunt hummed as he and his partner walked down the sidewalk about 10 feet behind Ash and Misty. They never ceased their look out, and they never lost track.

The female grunt smiled. "Yeah… Young couples always do." She said.

The male grunt smirked at her. "Well, you and I are pretty young still too." He said. He then nudged her. "We could be cute together." He said, moving his eyebrows up and down.

The female grunt rolled her eyes. "Please…" She said, blushing.

The male grunt rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Ugh… I just can't ever win with you." He said. He paused for a moment. "Anyway… do you think they've done the… you know… dadonkadonka yet?"

The female grunt rolled her eyes again. "What the hell does 'dadonkadonka' mean?" She asked.

The male grunt nudged her again. "Don't play stupid." He said.

The female grunt glared at him and blushed. "Then don't be a pervert." She said. "And how am I supposed to know if they've screwed each other yet?"

The male grunt smiled. "Well, I don't know. I've always thought that women have like… a sixth sense for that." He said.

The female grunt laughed. "Hah. No… Most of us aren't totally perverted like you."

The male grunt wrapped his arm around her. "Oh, come on, baby." He said. "You know you can be a little perv sometimes."

The female grunt hissed at him. "Get your hands off of me before I castrate you." She growled. "I'm here to do my duty. I've told you that. That's IT."

The male grunt took his arm off of her. "Well, FINE." He whined.

The two walked towards the arena with Ash and Misty just feet ahead of them, soon, all four of them were there, and, unfortunately for them, since the grunts weren't participating and weren't direct guests of anyone in the competition, they lost Ash and Misty on the way.

"This place sure his packed." Ash said. He and Misty were both following a tanned, male security guard through the arena so that Ash could enter the contestant area and Misty could take a seat next to Ash's mom and the rest of his guests, Brock, May, Max, Professor Oak, and even Gary. When the two had to split up, they were given the chance to say goodbye to one another, since the security guard was very patient and nice.

"Well, this is it." Ash said nervously.

Misty smiled at Ash. "Ash… You'll do great out there. I know it." She said. Misty then gave Ash a hug and whispered in his ear. "And… Don't forget… I love you."

Ash smiled at Misty when she pulled away and he looked at the security guard, seeing if he was paying attention or not. Thankfully, he wasn't, so he gave Misty a peck on the lips and then whispered back into her ear. "I love you too, Misty." He said. "Thank you for everything."

Misty nodded at Ash's "thank you" and then pet Pikachu on the head. "You do well too, Pikachu." Misty said. "You two can do it."

Pikachu smiled and cheered at Misty's comment. Ash smiled at Misty too, blushing. "Well, we better get going now." Ash said. He looked to the security guard, who looked like he was getting a little impatient now.

Misty nodded. "Best of luck, Ash."

Ash smiled at her and then walked off with the security guard. Misty watched them walk away until they were out of sight and then walked through the gate and into the crowd. Ash's guests were all in really close boxed seats and Misty saw them right away. She smiled to herself and then walked over to them.

"Hey everyone." Misty greeted, smiling. The competition was in intermission while Misty came out, and the finals were about to begin.

"Ohhh! You two are finally here!" Delia cheered.

Professor Oak crossed his arms. "Hi Misty." He said sternly. "Please tell me Ash got Pikachu its massage and didn't just goof off."

Misty smiled at Professor Oak and took a seat between Ash's mom and Brock. "Don't worry. Pikachu got a really good one at Salon EverGrande." She said.

Professor Oak smiled. "Good."

Misty then looked over to the rest of the gang. Professor Oak was seated on the end of the row, with Delia next to him, then Misty, then Brock, then Gary, then May, and then Max.

Brock smiled at Misty. He could tell that her and Ash had already done something, of course. He was like a love bloodhound. His smile turned into a weird smirk. "Hey _Misty_." He said.

Misty glared at Brock. She knew that he probably knew, but didn't care. Ash, her and him were best friends anyway. Misty then whispered into Brock's ear. "If you tell anyone or tease me about it, I'll make sure your reputation with my sisters is ruined!" She threatened.

Brock blinked at her and nodded. "Yes… ma'am." He responded diligently. He'd rather have his leg torn off than get his reputation with three beautiful girls ruined.

After a moment, Gary smiled at Misty and greeted her, too. "Hey there." He said. "Ash better not disappoint me."

Misty smiled at Gary. "He won't. I promise." She said, remembering the battle between Ash and Gary back at the Gym and also remembering how much Ash had trained.

May didn't really say anything to Misty, but just looked at her and smiled. Misty smiled back at her, even though there had been love rivalry between them. However, now Misty was fully confident in Ash's feelings and even though she was usually a paranoid person, she knew she had nothing to worry about. So, she waved to both May and Max happily, and they waved back. Of course, May and Max still weren't really too talkative with her because of how she acted the last time they were together and they both, being not really complex characters, saw her as weird.

Even though Misty knew they probably now viewed her as some red-headed drama queen, that didn't matter to her. The only thing that mattered to her in the world now was Ash and her Pokemon. She wasn't incredibly self-conscious like she used to be. Ash made her feel great. He made her feel wanted, he made her feel beautiful, he made her feel strong. And now that this was Ash's day, Misty wanted to repay Ash for all he had done for her by cheering him on as best as she could to help him get through the championships.

However… a lot more than cheering and Pokemon skills was going to be required for Ash to even get close to jumping over this hurdle.


	23. Hoenn League Championships: Part 1

Thirty minutes had passed with the audience sitting silent and patient during the intermission. Soon, the hosts of the tournament, the same ones that were at the opening ceremony, walked out into the center of the arena to begin the finals of the Hoenn League Championships.

The female host held her hands up excitedly, while the male host smiled charmingly to the audience. "Good evening everyone!" She cheered. Brock sat up a little bit more straight in his seat while she spoke, paying more attention now. "It is time for the finals of the Hoenn League Championships to begin!" She said happily. "We have 5 contestants remaining, including the top three contestants that have worked their way up to the finals, and two contestants that qualified for the finals in the beginning!"

The 5 remaining contestants showed up on the main screen, including Ash. The young woman that Brock had been crushing over before at the opening ceremony was also on the screen, and she was the other person who had qualified for the finals without having to battle her way to the top.

"Woooooow! She's not only hot, but she's powerful too!" Brock said.

Misty smiled at Brock. "You forgot to leave out the part that she's too good for you." Misty said.

Brock sneered at Misty. "A man can dream, can't he?!" He said, blushing.

Misty laughed. "I guess." She said.

The male host smiled to the crowd brightly and took over for his parter. "Now, if you'd please welcome our contestants onto the stage!" He said happily.

The crowd went wild as the five remaining contestants walked out onto the arena floor. Three of the contestants were male, and two of them were female.

The female host called out all of the names of the contestants while the male host led each of the trainers to where they would be sitting while they waited to go out onto the arena.

When the female host saw Ash begin to walk out, she got very excited. "Please welcome...Mr. Ash Ketchum!" She said to the audience. The crowd cheered for Ash and he looked into the stands, waving to his guests and winking at Misty. He had a huge smile on his face and had Pikachu perched up on his shoulder. After his walk, Ash was led to a bench where he and the others would wait until the order of the finals was determined and the rules were explained.

"Ms. Katie Collingwood!" The female host boomed as the young lady behind Ash walked out. She was a young girl who looked about 13. She had long blonde hair and beautiful, big blue eyes. She was in a pink dress and looked like she'd probably be at a Barbie convention instead of a huge Pokemon tournament, but her looks didn't deceive anyone. She was one of the most powerful competitors in the championships. She smiled at the audience and curtsied as she walked past, and then followed Ash to the bench.

"Mr. Takashi Hasegawa!" A tall and muscular, middle-aged martial artist walked onto the arena, waving peacefully to the crowd with a content smile on his face. The man looked like he meant serious business. He was dressed in a samurai's outfit and his hair was long, black, and in a pony tail. His eyes were confident as he walked to the bench and took a seat next to the young lady.

"Mr. Dominick Saunders!" A young male, probably a year or two older than Ash, walked onto the stage. He was dressed in beachy attire, like most of the people who visited or lived on EverGrande. His skin was a beautiful, chocolate brown and his hair was black and short. His eyes were large and brown, and he smiled to the crowd modestly as he walked over and sat next to his rivals on the bench.

The female host smiled as she looked to the four on the bench and waited for the next contestant to enter the arena. Once she saw her walking out, she smiled. "And, last but not least... Ms. Alexis Neveaux!" The crowd roared like they had before for the rest of the contestants and the tall female walked out. Brock nearly fell out of his seat when he saw her walking her model-like walk, her hips swaying back and forth in her tight, black skirt. Still, she had her eyes concealed by a pair of sharp sunglasses. An arrogant smirk was across her face and her golden brown hair shined underneath the sunlight. When she reached the bench, she smiled even more largely at Ash, revealing her pearly, perfect teeth and then sitting down gracefully.

Ash didn't know what her weird smile was for, but he ignored it. _Maybe she's excited to battle me. _He thought. He smiled to himself. This was it. He was so excited about everything that was about to happen, and he was pumped. He looked over to Misty in the stands and smiled at her as she took Togepi out of her bag and cradled it in her arms, Togepi smiling brightly. Even little Togepi was excited for the night's festivities.

"Now!" The female host called. "We will explain how the finals work." She turned to the contestants and waited until the cheers of the crowd died down a bit. Once it was pretty much silent, she smiled. "Each of you will battle one contestant, and whoever wins that round automatically proceeds, while the other does not." She said. "However, there is a catch. Ms. Neveaux will not be battling until the final round because she has already qualified for it." She paused for a moment, making sure they understood her.

_Damn. She must be incredibly strong. _Ash thought to himself.

"So, Ms. Collingwood and Mr. Hasegawa will duel it out, and Mr. Ketchum and Mr. Saunders will also. Whoever wins these battles, will battle each other, and whoever wins that, will battle Ms. Neveaux. You may use one Pokemon in each battle, and up first is the battle between Mr. Hasegawa and Ms. Collingwood."

The young blonde and the tall samurai both nodded at the female host and got in their positions on the arena floor. Both of them were looking at each other menacingly, ready to withdraw their first pokemon.

"This should be easy." The samurai said to himself. "We've got enough power to crush this little girl into pieces."

The referee, a handsome, young male in a standard referee's outfit, walked out to the middle of the arena floor while the hosts sat back and stood by the waiting bench. Ash watched eagerly with a smile on his face.

The referee smiled at both of the trainers, making sure they were ready. He then put his hands into the air. "The battle between Ms. Collingwood of the Sinnoh region and Takashi Hasegawa of the Johto region will now commence!" He yelled.

Both of the trainers got started, throwing their Pokeballs into the air. Ms. Collingwood used her Frosslass, while Mr. Hasegawa used his Rhydon.

The battle was short, yet intense, lasting for about 5 minutes. The first move was a powerful Shadow Ball attack by Frosslass, so powerful that it caused Rhydon's special defense stat to fall even lower than it already was. Next, Mr. Hasegawa's Rhydon used its Stone Edge attack, hitting Frosslass with a great amount of strength and also having a great type advantage. Frosslass, however, managed to survive such a powerful attack and simply floated out of the pile of boulders so that she could fight back. Ms. Collingwood then ordered Frosslass to use her powerful Blizzard attack against Rhydon, which froze Rhydon and caused the large Pokemon to faint.

"Rhydon!" The samurai hollered. He ran over to his Pokemon, touching the sides of the block of ice that surrounded it. He had a sorrowful frown on his face and sat there, mourning his loss. "How... How could we lose to a little girl?!" He growled at Rhydon. He then recalled his Pokemon back into its Pokeball.

"And Ms. Collingwood from the Sinnoh Region WINS!" The female host called. The picture of Mr. Hasegawa turned black on the main screen.

"Yay!" Ms. Collingwood cheered as the crowd went wild for her. "We did it, dear!" She ran up to her Frosslass, giving her a big hug and then retracting her back into her Pokeball. She then looked to her opponent and smirked. "You may have sheer power... But one thing you don't have is strategy!" She said.

The samurai gave her an evil eye and then walked into the stands and out of the arena, while Ms. Collingwood went over and sat on the bench.

"Who knew such a young lady could be so strong!" Brock cheered. _Man... if she was maybe 3 years older, I'd totally try for her. _He thought, admiring her charming beauty.

The female host smiled to the crowd. "Now that half of the first round is over, it is time to move onto our next battle, between Mr. Dominick Saunders of Kanto and Mr. Ash Ketchum of Kanto!" She yelled excitedly. "Please welcome these two contestants to the stage!"

Ash smiled excitedly and so did his opponent. Both of them got on either sides of the arena, standing confidently until the referee told them to begin.

Misty cheered loudly when she saw Ash get in his place and smiled to herself. _This is it… _She thought. _He's up now. _

Ash noticed Misty's cheer and smiled at her, waving. Ash then looked to Pikachu and smiled. "Pikachu, go sit on the sidelines next to the security guards. They'll watch over you since now isn't your turn yet, buddy." Ash said.

Pikachu nodded. "Pika!" Pikachu then ran over to the area where the security guards were and sat in one of their laps, ready to watch the battle contently.

The referee then walked out between the two and smiled at each of them before beginning. "The battle between Mr. Dominick Saunders of Kanto and Mr. Ash Ketchum of Kanto will now begin!" He yelled.

Ash smirked at his opponent and both of them threw their Pokeballs into the air.

Mr. Saunders decided to use his Flygon in this battle, while Ash decided to use his Glalie, one of his most powerful Pokemon. Ash smiled to himself, knowing that he had the type advantage. However, he didn't get too much of a big head yet. He knew Flygons were very powerful and agile Pokemon.

The first attack played was by Flygon, of course, due to its advantage in the speed stat. The attack used was double team, which gave Flygon an even greater advantage against Glalie.

Glalie then glided over to Flygon, seeing through its double team mechanism and landing a very powerful Crunch attack, which did a good amount of damage and lowered the dragon's special defense.

After the Crunch attack was landed. Mr. Saunders decided that it was probably also time for them to land an offensive attack as well. So, he ordered Flygon to use Iron Tail, which would be very powerful against the Glalie. However, due to Glalie's high defense, the attack didn't do as much as one thought it would have.

After Glalie was ready to battle again, Ash commanded it to use Ice Beam. The ice type attack would be 4 times powerful against Flygon and was also a very powerful attack by itself, not even mentioning Flygon's low special defense. After the Glalie built up enough cold energy, the ice Pokemon ejected the bright, blue, and glowing beam towards the Flygon so quickly and accurately that the Flygon didn't have a chance to dodge it, even though Mr. Saunders had ordered it to. After the attack, the dragon Pokemon fell to the ground harshly, unable to battle.

Ash smiled largely after he knew he had won. He ran up to Glalie and gave his Pokemon a big hug, and then retracted it back into its Pokeball. Mr. Saunders walked up to Ash and shook his hand, showing his sportsmanship.

"That was a good battle, Mr. Ketchum. Short, but good. You'll go far." He complimented politely.

"And Mr. Ash Ketchum from Kanto WINS!" The female host cheered.

The crowd went wild, screaming and hooting with joy. Mr. Saunder's picture on the main screen blackened out. As the championships inched closer and closer to the final competition, the crowd got more excited. Misty whistled out to Ash loudly. Surprisingly, she was a very good whistler—one of those that could be heard throughout the arena. Ash noticed her and smiled at her, clenching his fist and making an "all right!" motion with his arm. He then walked back to his seat on the bench and waited until they were given directions to continue, while Mr. Saunders contently walked off the stage and into the stands.

"So, we're narrowing it down to one person!" The female host cheered.

The male host smiled. "Thaaaaaaaaaat's right!" He said. After this last battle before the final round, we will have a short, 30 minute intermission so our contestants can cool down and so you can too!"

The crowd cheered happily, knowing how close it was. It was now almost 6pm, and the sun was setting, making everyone anxious for the night's biggest battle.

The female host smiled at the crowd. "But, before we go on our break, we have our last battle. Mr. Ash Ketchum of Kanto versus Ms. Katie Collingwood of Sinnoh!"

Gary smirked. "Hah. I don't know if Ash can beat this _little girl_!" Gary said. While he was proud of Ash, he couldn't let ANYONE think that he and Ash weren't rivals anymore.

Professor Oak frowned at Gary. "Don't discriminate her just because of her age and gender, Grandson." He said. "She was pretty powerful back there."

Delia smiled at Professor Oak for being such a gentleman and a teacher. He smiled at her back, and rubbed her shoulder.

Gary rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah." He said, smiling at Ash.

Misty was also smiling at Ash and Togepi was bouncing up and down in her arms. _Things are going so well… _She thought. She really hoped that it would remain like that for the rest of the evening. Maybe Ash will be able to win this. As she watched him up there, she felt so good about everything… like she was high. Ash's strength and confidence as a Pokemon trainer was one thing she admired about him greatly.

The female host looked to the bench where Ash and Ms. Collingwood sat, smiling. "Now, it is time to determine who battles against Ms. Alexis Neveaux in the final battle." She said, welcoming the two to the stage.

Ash and Ms. Collingwood both got up from where they were seated, walking confidently back onto the stage while the crowd cheered. The adrenaline was really pumping through Ash's veins now, even though his opponent looked like she belonged in a baby booster rather than on the stage. He knew from her first battle that she was skillful… But he also knew that there was no way he would just let anyone take his dreams away from him.

The referee walked out onto the stage between the two and performed his usual gesture. "The battle between Mr. Ash Ketchum of Kanto and Ms. Katie Collingwood of Sinnoh will now begin!" He shouted.

Both trainers quickly took their Pokeball off of their belt and threw it into the air.

"Let's show him what we've got, Vileplume!" Ms. Collingwood shouted.

"I choose you, Sceptile!" Ash called out.

The two plant type Pokemon appeared before their trainers and the crowd cheered. They had seen too many combinations with type advantages and now they wanted to see a battle that could last a little longer. Ash called out his attack first, since he knew that Sceptile would be faster than Vileplume anyway. He commanded Sceptile to use its Body Slam attack to start things off. The Sceptile ran towards Vileplume with incredible speed and then jumped into the air, only to come back down again and crushing the Vileplume with its entire weight. Afterwards, the Vileplume was weak, but of course, it still had lots of energy left.

"Use Petal Dance, Vileplume!" Ms. Collingwood called. The Vileplume nodded contently and beautiful, pink flower petals ejected from the center of the flower on Vileplume's head. The flowers then soared towards Sceptile, hitting the foe with a great amount of force, but still only looking like an elegant dance. The grass type move would continue for a few turns. The attack, even though of the same type as Sceptile, was very powerful because of Vileplume's awesome special attack and because Petal Dance was a strong attack to begin with.

"Agh! Sceptile, get out of that!" Ash called. He clenched his fists and then pointed towards the Vileplume when Sceptile managed to escape from the sea of flowers. "Great!" He cheered. "Now use Drain Punch!"

Sceptile smiled to itself before its claw began to glow. The Sceptile then swiftly rocketed towards Vileplume, ready to pound the grass Pokemon with its punch and drain the energy out of it.

Ms. Collingwood widened her eyes at how quick the Sceptile was and how it had managed to escape their Petal Dance mechanism. _No Pokemon has ever done that before…_She thought in disbelief. _He's no run of the mill trainer… _She then focused again and pointed towards her Vileplume. "Dodge it, Vileplume!"

Vileplume tried to dodge the Drain Punch, but Sceptile was too fast. Sceptile quickly jabbed its clenched, glowing claw into Vileplume, leaving it there for a few seconds while draining its energy and then pulling back, causing the Vileplume to shoot backwards towards its trainer afterwards.

"Yes!" Ash cheered.

"Vileplume!" Ms. Collingwood shrieked. She ran over to her Pokemon while it lied motionless on the ground. "C'mon, we've got to do this, Vileplume!"

The Vileplume, unfortunately for Ms. Collingwood, did not respond. The drain punch had not only drained energy from Vileplume, but also knocked a lot off of it as well. Ash smiled in utter happiness when he saw that Vileplume had fainted, and jumped into the air in excitement, running over to Sceptile and wrapping his arms around it.

"And Mr. Ash Ketchum from Kanto WINS!" The female host cheered as Ms. Collingwood's picture on the main screen went black.

"Sceptile!" Ash cheered. "That was absolutely amazing!"

Ms. Collingwood frowned to herself and then nodded. She recalled Vileplume, stroking the Pokeball afterwards. "Well, we did our best…" She said. "My strategy is good, but not good enough…"

The crowd went wild for Ash as the last battle before the final tournament ended. Cameras flashed, Ash saw his smiling face on the main screen, and the hosts were rooting as well.

"Yeah, Ash!!!" Misty cheered. Togepi ringed its name and cheered as well.

Ash soon recalled Sceptile after he was finished praising it and then walked up to Ms. Collingwood.

"That was a good battle." He said.

The young girl wanted so badly to turn her little button nose up at him, but she just smiled and shook his hand. "It was. Good luck in the final round." She then walked into the stands and sat down next to her parents.

The female host smiled to the crowd and held her hands up. "Before we go onto the final battle, it is now time for our intermission. Please, if you need to use the bathroom or get food or water, do so now so you don't miss anything!" She said. She then walked off the stage and went to rest herself.

Ash also walked off of the stage, but instead went to go join Ms. Neveaux on the bench. He would go into the stands to see Misty, but he wasn't permitted to do that for security reasons. However, Misty was permitted to meet him on the bench, and she was trying to make her way through the crowd to do so. When Ash sat down, Ms. Neveaux looked at him and smirked.

"I can tell that our match will be very…interesting." She said in her low, sexy, and lightly accented voice.

Ash bent an eyebrow, but then smiled. "Me too." He agreed.

Meanwhile, the crowd quickly took care of anything they needed to before the big event. The sun was pretty much set, and the arena lights soon turned on, beaming brightly. They were so bright that sailors could probably see them from miles away at sea.

Back in the stands, May and Max had left to go get some food for themselves.

Professor Oak nodded to himself and smiled. "He has gotten much better." He said to Delia.

Delia smiled. "Mm'hm." She said. "That's my little boy."

Gary crossed his arms. "Well, he may have one these battles, but we'll see if he can actually take the trophy."

Brock, unlike everyone else, wasn't cheering very much. He was very proud of Ash, but… it was just that he was busy staring at Ms. Neveaux and waiting for her to come up on the arena. It was good for him that he only had to wait 30 more minutes.

The two grunts that had been watching over Ash and Misty sat in their chairs dutifully during intermission instead of getting up to get some food or something, even though the male grunt would have liked to explore and look at all the girls around. He was so girl crazy that it wouldn't be surprising if he were Brock's older brother.

The female grunt smiled to her partner. "Everything is going as planned." She said.

The male grunt smiled back. "Exactly." He said. "So… can I go exploring now?" He asked while he got up from his seat.

The female grunt rolled her eyes. "What?" She asked. "And sneak into the Women's bathroom like a stupid and perverted 5th grader? Sit your ass down." She growled, pulling him down.

Misty eventually made her way down to the stage and walked over to the bench. She quickly sat next to Ash.

"That was awesome!" She said, panting. It had taken her a while to get down there, and she wanted to do it as quickly as possible so that she and Ash could talk if he wanted to.

Ash looked at Misty and smiled brightly. "I'm really excited for the next battle." Ash said to her. He then took her hand within his own and his smile became more romantic. "I heard you cheering."

Misty smiled and then blushed. "Heh… Well, I just want you to do your best." She said.

Ash blushed back and nodded.

Ms. Neveaux had been listening to their entire conversation and she looked at both of them and cleared her throat, trying to get her attention.

Ash and Misty both looked at her attentively, with their eyebrows bent, confused that she was talking to them so much.

Ms. Neveaux then tilted her sunglasses down, revealing just a sliver of her eye to them. She had incredibly beautiful red eyes and thick, black eyelashes. She then smirked at them.

"If you want to defeat me…" She paused. "You're going to need a lot more than your best."


	24. Hoenn League Championships: Part 2

After Ms. Neveaux had made such an arrogant comment to Ash and Misty, both of them lifted a brow and looked at each other. Misty then mouthed to Ash "She's scary" and he nodded in total agreement.

Ash and Misty walked away from Ms. Neveaux and about 20 feet away from the bench. They wanted to get away from her because they only had a few minutes before Misty had to leave to make her way back into the stands, and they both didn't want her interrupting them again.

Ash frowned while looking at Ms. Neveaux. "She DOES scare me." Ash said worriedly.

Misty nodded. "Yeah, but don't let that get you down, Ash." She said. "Just do your absolute best and it'll be fine."

Ash looked back at Misty and smiled at her appreciatively. "Thanks, Misty."

Misty nodded. "You're welcome." She said. "Which Pokemon do you think you're going to use?" She asked.

Ash smiled at her. "Well, it was going to be a secret, but I guess I can share with _you_." He said happily.

"I'm going to use Pikachu." He whispered in her ear.

Misty blushed when he whispered in her ear. Ash then pulled back and smiled at her, blushing as well.

"Awesome." Misty said smiling. She was really glad that he was using Pikachu because Pikachu, despite its lower stats, was one of Ash's best Pokemon. The two worked so well together, and Misty couldn't wait to see the battle.

Ash slowly and softly took Misty's hand and rubbed the top of it. "Misty… Cheer for me out there." He said.

Misty nodded. "Of course." She said. Togepi then popped out of Misty's bag and started cheering. Misty laughed. "No, not yet Togepi!" She said giggling. Togepi then curled back up and went back in the bag, excited for the final round.

Ash blushed and smiled at Misty and Togepi… He then leaned in towards Misty and whispered into her ear again. "I wish I could kiss you right now…" He said. Instead of kissing her, he licked the side of her ear slightly and thankfully the action was covered up by her hair.

Misty blushed intensely and shivered when Ash whispered to her and licked her. When Ash pulled away, she smiled and winked at him. "Me too." She said.

The two stood there smiling at each other for a few minutes, without saying anything. Then, the 10 minute warning for the intermission was called.

"Uh oh… I should probably be getting back to the stands now." Misty said. She squeezed Ash's hand lovingly and then let go of it, whispering into HIS ear now. "I love you, Ash."

Ash smiled and blushed when Misty pulled away. "You too, Misty."

Misty smiled back. "See you after the battle." She said. She then turned around and walked quickly and happily back towards the stands.

"Misty…" Ash said to himself, watching her leave. He then smiled and clenched his fist. _I'm going to win this for us!_ He thought.

Ash soon walked back over to the bench. He remembered that Pikachu was still with the security guards, and looked over to that area, which was actually only a few feet away. Pikachu was smiling at him and sitting on one of the guard's laps.

Ash smiled. "C'mon, buddy." He said.

"Pika!" Pikachu cheered. The excited Pokemon jumped off and then jumped onto Ash's shoulder, nuzzling its face against Ash's. Ash then sat down on the bench, a few feet away from Ms. Neveaux.

Ms. Neveaux turned towards Ash. "Ah… So you're using a Pikachu." She said. "You know you're at a disadvantage because I know what you're going to use, right?"

Ash looked at Ms. Neveaux with a confident, fierce face. "Pikachu is so strong that type disadvantages barely mean anything." He said, smirking.

Ms. Neveaux smirked back and crossed her arms and her legs. "We'll see about that, Mr. Ketchum."

The hosts of the championships soon walked out onto the stage and smiled at the crowd as they began to cheer. "Welcome back, everyone!" The female host cheered, holding her hands up. The night was dark, but the arena grounds were very bright from the large lights surrounding it and the camera flashes.

"Our intermission has now come to an end and it is time to start the final battle!" The male host yelled.

The female host smiled at her partner. "That's right! So, if you'd please give a round of applause for our two finalists, Mr. Ash Ketchum and Ms. Alexis Neveaux!"

The crowd screamed in jubilation as Ash and Ms. Neveaux walked towards either end of the arena. Ash was on the end near Misty and the others, thankfully, and Ms. Neveaux was on the other. While Ash stood in his place, he was wondering which Pokemon she was going to use. Pikachu then jumped off of Ash's shoulder and onto the ground before him, its small body tensed and posed in that "I'm going to kick your ass" look.

"Go Ash!" Misty screamed excitedly. Brock was too busy to cheer because he was staring at Ms. Neveaux, but the others were all cheering, even Gary.

The referee walked into the middle of the arena and smiled at each of them. "The battle between Ms. Neveaux from Hoenn and Mr. Ketchum from Kanto will now commence!"

Ash smirked at his foe and clenched his fist. "Ya' ready Pikachu?" He asked.

"Ka!" Pikachu growled.

Ms. Neveaux smiled at Ash and his Pikachu and then took her Pokeball off of her belt. She then threw it into the air forcefully. "Go, Dusknoir!" She yelled.

When Ash saw that Ms. Neveaux was using a Pokemon that he wasn't really familiar with, he lost some of his confidence. He did notice that it looked much like Dusclops, so he figured that it must be the evolution of it, especially since their names were so similar. That meant that Ash was up against a ghost Pokemon. _Well… At least she didn't use a ground Pokemon…_Ash thought.

Ash smiled at Ms. Neveaux. "I'm using Pikachu." He said confidently. He then pointed at Dusknoir. "Pikachu, let's start things off with thunderbolt!"

Pikachu nodded and its electric sacs began to spark furiously. After Pikachu worked up enough energy, it let out all it could muster up at that moment, sending a huge beam of electricity towards Dusknoir and electrocuting it efficiently and sufficiently.

The Dusknoir cringed in pain as it was shocked. It was a big Pokemon compared to Pikachu, but the thunderbolt still did significant damage because of how trained Pikachu was and how fast it was.

Ms. Neveaux smirked and then took off her sunglasses, throwing them onto the ground forcefully, causing them to break. Her blood-red eyes were on fire and were incredibly sharp. They were wise enough to convince anyone, and seductive enough to charm any man or woman.

"Hah! If you want this battle to be wild and rough, then we'll make it wild and rough!" She yelled. "Dusknoir, use Shadow Sneak!"

The Dusknoir simply disappeared once it heard its trainer's command and remained that way for a few moments before its dark shadow appeared right on top of Pikachu, crushing the small electric mouse with an incredible amount of dark energy emanating from the shadow. The pain caused Pikachu to shriek out as it lost a lot of its energy.

The attack was definitely unavoidable, much like Faint Attack, only Shadow Sneak, no matter how fast Pikachu was, always hit first. One would think that Dusknoir's offensive stats were nothing more than average, but this Dusknoir was an exception. The Dusknoir did more damage than Ash could ever expect.

After Dusknoir was finished with Pikachu, the ghost floated back to its trainer quickly.

"Heh. Awesome, Dusknoir." Ms. Neveaux smirked.

The crowd rooted for Ms. Neveaux while Pikachu was having some problems getting up off of the ground. After that attack, it felt like every muscle in its body was like jello.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled. "We've got to do this!" Ash's fist clenched even harder, and sweat drops were forming on his face. He knew that this battle wasn't going to be short and sweet like the rest.

Pikachu struggled to get back up, but did after a few attempts. Once it did, the crowd cheered even louder, begging for more intense battling.

Ash smiled largely when Pikachu got back up. He was proud to have such a resilient Pokemon. Ms. Neveaux, on the other hand, crossed her arms, upset that Pikachu had gotten up, but also excited about it at the same time.

Ash jolted his pointing arm out towards Dusknoir's direction. "Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"

Pikachu cried its name and then darted towards Dusknoir like a bullet. The energy built up from the quick run was stored into Pikachu's tail, which now glowed as brightly as the arena lights above.

Ms. Neveaux uncrossed her arms. "Dodge it, Dusknoir!"

But it was far too late, Pikachu bounced up and flipped in the air very quickly like a martial artist in front of Dusknoir, then landing its sharp, hot Iron Tail attack onto the ghost Pokemon's abdomen. Pikachu's strong tail crushed the Dusknoir incredibly, causing the part that Pikachu had hit with its tail to become a dark shadow, similar to a bruise.

Ms. Neveaux stood in disbelief as her Dusknoir fell to the ground after that iron tail attack and the spot where it was hit turned black. _How can this happen?_ She thought. She was wondering whether Dusknoir was out or not. Even though Dusknoir was much larger than Pikachu and its defense stats were amazing, the level of Pikachu's technique and attack was formidable.

Soon, the Dusknoir quickly got back up. When it did, both Ms. Neveaux and Ash smirked at each other. The crowd whistled and screamed.

"Good work." Ms. Neveaux said to Ash. "But you didn't even put a dent in our capabilities! Dusknoir, use Gravity!"

Dusknoir began to glow brightly just like Pikachu's tail had done after it heard its trainer's command. Its large arms looked very focused. Within a few moments of remaining in that position, the people in the arena could feel more force pulling them down onto their seats. It became more difficult for them bring their arms up and cheer. Ash and Pikachu could feel it too, and the gravity change was so much that some of the lights above were beginning to shatter, the waves in the ocean outside getting more intense.

Professor Oak blinked in surprise. "Wow… This is no normal gravity mechanism…" He said scratching his chin.

Delia smiled up at him and rubbed his hand. "What do you mean?" She asked in her sweet voice.

Professor Oak smiled back, but then frowned. "This is much more intense than usual…" He said. He then looked back out to the Dusknoir as the glow on its body soon dissipated. "It's usually not even one-forth this strong… That must be one extremely well-trained Dusknoir…It's almost…unbelievable…"

Ash blinked in surprise when he noticed what was happening. He felt it extremely difficult to move his muscles, just like everyone else. _Is this even permitted…?_ He asked himself in his head. He then shook his head when he noticed that Dusknoir had returned to normal and ordered the next attack. "Pikachu, use Agility!" Ash thought that the agility mechanism would hopefully make Pikachu move a little more quickly under the very strong gravity change.

Pikachu nodded and then began to run towards the Dusknoir. Pikachu didn't move nearly as quickly as usually though and the strain from the gravity was beginning to wear Pikachu down within the first 15 feet of running, the small electric Pokemon running out of breath and slowing down. Thankfully, Ash noticed this.

"Pikachu, stop!" Ash yelled.

Ms. Neveaux smirked. "Hah… Good strategy, but this is too strong of a black hole to get out of."

Ash gritted his teeth at her and then pointed towards Dusknoir. "Pikachu, use Thunder!"

Pikachu tried to use thunder, but the attack was too hard to fire because of the intense gravity change. Some sparks flew from Pikachu's cheeks, but it couldn't gather up nearly enough energy for a thunder attack.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled.

Ms. Neveaux just stood there still, smirking. "Dusknoir, use Calm Mind!"

Dusknoir quickly began to use Calm Mind, while Pikachu continued struggling to use thunder. It relaxed its entire body and mind at once, going into a deeply calm state. There was a dark purple glow surrounding Dusknoir as it calmed itself. The psychological and physical relaxation allowed Dusknoir to increase its special defense and special attack at once by a great amount, since Dusknoir wouldn't be as tense or unstable the next time Pikachu or itself attacked.

After Dusknoir was calmed, Ms. Neveaux smirked at Ash. "Even if Pikachu can lay a thunder attack… It will barely do anything now."

Ash clenched his fists and looked at Pikachu. "C'mon Pikachu… We can do this!!" He cried.

Pikachu, still trying to release its thunder attack, was getting closer and closer. Its cheeks were glowing and sparking with electricity, but it was releasing the electricity that was the problem. Then, Ash noticed what was happening. He smiled largely at Pikachu.

_This is going to be great! _He thought. _The only thing that Pikachu can't do right now is release its energy… But once it does… Dusknoir will be sure to faint. _

Ash pointed towards Dusknoir. "Pikachu, let's go. Use thunder!"

"Pika!" Pikachu cried. Poor Pikachu was almost drained from working up so much energy, but still had a lot of fight left in it. Pikachu knew that it had to release this energy, but it couldn't right then. To assist it, Pikachu thought about all of the times he had with Ash that were like this… Pikachu thought about the years he had spent with Ash… All of the good times, the bad times. He knew that he had to do this for Ash, for Misty, and for Togepi. He had to do this so Ash could win.

With that, Pikachu tensed every muscle in his small body and soon, the he was surrounded by electricity, sending it surging towards Dusknoir. Once the huge, thick ray of electricity hit Dusknoir, the voltage was so high that it burnt and crushed the arena ground beneath and the ray shot up into the night sky, illuminating the entire city sky so bright that it looked like noon time.

"Oh…my gosh…" Misty said in utter surprise. She never knew that Pikachu could let out a thunder attack like that. She had seen Pikachu use thunder a few times, but those attacks were about 1/10 as powerful as this one. Togepi cheered happily after Pikachu let out the attack, along with the rest of the crowd.

Both Ash and Ms. Neveaux kept their eyes on their Pokemon. The electricity didn't die down until after a few moments, and after it did, Dusknoir was laying on the ground, motionless and surrounded by sparks. Pikachu was also lying on the ground, but its eyes were open and its cheeks were still sparking a little.

Ms. Neveaux's mouth was gaping open at the sight and she walked up to Dusknoir and frowned down at it. "Dusknoir…" She whispered… She then looked to Ash with her sharp, red eyes. "How could that attack be so powerful?!" She screamed.

Ash smiled. "Simple." He said. "Pikachu was working up all that energy while Dusknoir was using gravity, and the extra amount of gravitational force caused the voltage to be even higher than it would have been if gravity was normal!" He said back, very proud of his strategy and her fault for using gravity.

Ms. Neveaux growled at him, but then she noticed that Dusknoir hadn't fainted yet.

"Don't be mad at me… It was your problem that you chose to use grav…" Ash soon also noticed that Dusknoir hadn't fainted yet, and he slammed his foot onto the ground in disbelief.

"Hah!!" Ms. Neveaux smirked. "That's it, Dusknoir. Lets put this arrogant kid in his place."

Dusknoir still had a lot of fight in it, but the Pokemon was still sparking. After a while, it wasn't anymore, and Pikachu soon also struggled to get up to its feet. When it did, Ash smiled and jumped into the air excitedly, even though the area was still under the gravity curse.

"Pikachu!" Ash cheered.

The crowd hollered in excitement as both Pokemon STILL had enough energy left to keep going.

"Pika…" Pikachu growled at Dusknoir. It was obvious that Pikachu had much more energy than Dusknoir because of the huge thunder attack.

"Dusk……" Dusknoir growled back.

"Dusknoir… Finish this Pikachu off! Use Pain Split!!" Ms. Neveaux called out.

Ash bent his eyebrows, never hearing of a move like that before. "Dodge it, Pikachu!!" Ash yelled.

But Pikachu couldn't dodge it. Pikachu could barely even move because of how weak he was from using the thunder attack and also because of the gravity change. Dusknoir, since it was a ghost, wasn't affected by the gravity change, so its only disadvantage was its low energy level, which was about to change anyway.

Dusknoir soon used the Pain Split mechanism and it was so quick that all the crowd could see was a flash from Dusknoir's eyes and Pikachu falling to the ground again, losing energy while Dusknoir gained energy.

Ash blinked in disbelief and then ran up to Pikachu, looking down at him with a frown on his face. He could feel tears welling up in his eyes, while Ms. Neveaux just stood there smirking and waiting for him to call the next attack.

"Pikachu…" Ash groaned. He kneeled down on the ground and scooped Pikachu into his arms and embraced his Pokemon.

Pikachu looked up at Ash with its mellow eyes. Its cheeks were bruised from the fight, and its entire body was worn out. Ash knew that this was it… There was no way that Pikachu would be able to fight any longer, especially with the gravity curse still in effect. Pikachu soon closed its eyes and its body went weak, not being able to battle any longer.

When Ms. Neveaux saw Pikachu go limp, she smiled and uncrossed her arms, recalling Dusknoir into its Pokeball. "Good work, Dusknoir." She said, winking to herself.

"And Ms. Neveaux from the Hoenn region WINS!!!" The female host cheered.

The crowd went wild after the winner of the Hoenn League Championships was finally determined. Confetti streamed through the air and the lights surrounding the arena flashed. The gravity returned to normal, and everyone, except for Ash's guests stood up and cheered for their newest champion.

Ash stood up with Pikachu in his arms, and even though he was disappointed that he lost… He remembered that no battle was worth losing Pikachu over. He soon wiped the tears from his eyes and smiled to himself, glad that he had gotten so close to winning. He then looked at Ms. Neveaux with a frown on his face, and walked off the stage. For some reason, he almost felt like the battle was unfair. He didn't know why he felt that way… But he did. But, then again, Ash felt like that a lot after he lost.

_Ash…_Misty thought to herself as Ash grabbed his backpack from security and walked back into the stands and towards her and the others. _He was so close too…_ Misty then got up from her seat and walked towards Ash.

As soon as Misty reached him, she gave him a strong hug. "Ash…" She whispered into his ear. "You did so well…"

While the two embraced each other, the hosts and the president presented the trophy and the yen prize to Ms. Neveaux while confetti streamed and celebratory music played. The crowd was still cheering…

"I, the president of the Hoenn League Championships, hereby award you as the Champion of this year's competition." The President said. She handed the trophy to Ms. Neveaux and the yen, smiling to her brightly.

Ms. Neveaux smiled to the crowd and posed for the cameras that were snapping pictures of her. She seemed happy and caring as she smiled to everyone, but Ash knew from his experiences with her earlier that she was far from what anyone thought she was.

Ash smiled at Misty after they were finished hugging. "Thank you, Misty…" He smiled. All of Ash's other guests came and gathered around as well, trying to comfort him.

"That was most certainly an exciting Pokemon battle." Professor Oak said, patting Ash on the shoulder.

"Yeah, Ash! You did great." May cheered.

Max smiled. "Yeah… And that Dusknoir was sooo cool!"

Brock smiled at Ms. Neveaux as she posed. "Aw… I wish I had a camera!" He said. "I knew she would win! 3"

Misty sneered at Brock and then walked up to him, stomping on his foot, which definitely took him out of his little trance.

"OW!" Brock cried. "What did you do that for?"

Misty narrowed her eyes at Brock. "Ash just lost to her and all you can do is think about her?" She pointed out. "You're pathetic."

Brock frowned at Misty and then looked at Ash. "I'm sorry…" He apologized.

Misty frowned. "You should be…" She said. "Ash is really down about it…"

Ash's mother walked up to Ash and gave him a comforting hug. "Honey… Do you want to go out and celebrate?" She asked in her sweet voice.

Ash didn't respond for a moment, but just looked off to the side.

"Yeah, c'mon, Ash…" Gary insisted. He was upset that Ash didn't win, but he knew that the battle was really close and he was happy with the strategies that Ash used. Seeing Ash battle against Ms. Neveaux made him want to battle against her now as well… But, he knew he probably wouldn't be able to do that until next year.

Soon, Ash looked up at his mom with heavy eyes and frowned. "I don't think so mom…You guys go out and have fun…" He paused. "I just want to go back to the hotel room and rest."

Professor Oak nodded and took Delia's hand. "We understand, Ash…" He said comfortingly.

Ash smiled at Professor Oak and his mother. "Thank you." He then smiled at the others and turned towards the arena gate, walking with Pikachu in his arms and Misty by his side. He didn't want to stay and see how much fun he would have had if he had won instead.

On their way home, Ash walked very quickly to the Pokemon center. The Pokemon center was about half way between the arena and the hotel, so they got there pretty quick. Once they were there, Ash quickly walked up to the front desk to Nurse Joy, handing Pikachu to her.

"We just finished the Hoenn League Championships." Ash said.

Nurse Joy quickly scooped Pikachu into her hands and put him down on a nearby stretcher. "Did you win?" She asked as she pulled a blanket over Pikachu.

Ash frowned and shook his head. "No…"

Misty smiled at Nurse Joy. "He was really close though." She said.

Ash looked at Misty and smiled at her for her optimism.

Nurse Joy smiled and nodded. "Well, congratulations." She said.

Ash smiled at Nurse Joy. "How long do you think it is going to take for Pikachu to recover?" He asked with a worried look on his face.

Nurse Joy smiled. "Only a few hours. It just needs some rest and a little medicine and it should be fine."

Ash nodded. "Thank you, Nurse Joy."

Nurse Joy smiled and then strolled Pikachu into the back room where she would take care of it. Once she was out of sight, Ash and Misty sat down on the bench.

Misty looked at Ash and smiled at him. "Ash… You did your best…" She said. "Don't worry…"

Ash nodded at Misty, but he still had a frown on his face. "I don't know… I just felt like I wasn't even close to her level, you know?"

Misty's eyebrows bent. "What? You were really close to winning."

Ash shook his head. "But you weren't OUT there." Ash said.

Misty blinked. "I watched closely though…" She said. "And anyway… you were really amazing, no matter what level you were on… You were in second place…"

Ash blinked at Misty and then looked away… "But… it's no where near winning." He said.

Misty frowned. "But Ash…" She touched his hand and rubbed it.

Ash pushed her hand aside. "And look what I did to Pikachu!!!" Ash said. "He could have DIED out there! And I was trying to win this for US!" He said. Tears began to well up in his eyes again.

Misty's eyes widened at how dramatic Ash was being. "But Pikachu didn't!" Misty said. "Pikachu is going to be just fine. You heard Nurse Joy…And as far as winning for us goes… Don't worry…… We've already won…" She said, smiling.

Ash looked at Misty for a few moments and smiled, blushing slightly. "You're right… it's just… I felt so hopeless out there, after everything was finished…" He said. "I wasn't even close… Especially with that gravity mechanism she used…"

Misty blinked. Ash's last statement had reminded her of what Professor Oak had said. She then tried to take Ash's hand again, and she was thankful that he didn't push her away.

"Ash…" Misty began. "Professor Oak said something that really made me think about something…"

Ash blinked. "What did he say?"

Misty frowned. "He said that… The gravity mechanism from Dusknoir was like, 4 times stronger than any normal one." She said.

Ash blinked at Misty and then looked away. "So? Dusknoir is a strong Pokemon…"

Misty frowned even more and then turned so she could look Ash in the eye as he looked down at the ground. "Ash… gravity mechanisms are always around the same range, no matter which Pokemon uses it. It can very, but not much…That's what Professor Oak told me." She said. "I think… I think Ms. Neveaux might have cheated her way into winning."

Ash blinked at Misty. He had kind of thought earlier that Ms. Neveaux was not altruistic in the way that she battled either. The thunder attack from Pikachu should have been enough to knock Dusknoir out, especially because of how much energy Pikachu had worked up for it… Ash then nodded. "I think she might have too…" He said. "But… it's over now, so it doesn't really matter."

Misty blinked at Ash in disbelief. If there had been any other time that he had lost to someone who cheated, he would have retaliated right away… But now, he sounded like he didn't even really care.

"Aren't you going to do something?" Misty asked.

Ash rubbed his foot against the shiny floor. "I don't even know if she did cheat or not, and if I told anyone, no one would believe me." He said. "They'd just think I was some kid trying to get some fame and money."

Misty nodded. "Well… If we can prove that she cheated, then maybe we can fix this…" She said.

Ash shook his head. "It's not even really worth trying though…" He said sadly. "It's over anyway…"

Misty rolled her eyes. "But justice needs to be served. This is wrong." Misty said. Togepi said its name happily while it sat in Misty's arms, almost as if it just agreed with Misty.

Ash looked at Misty. "Well, if the proof comes to us, then that's fine. But I'm not going to go out of my way." He said.

As soon as he said that, Misty saw Ms. Neveaux walking outside past the Pokemon center with two people on her either side. She was carrying her golden trophy in her hands. Maybe this was her chance to look into this. She didn't care that Ash was just shrugging about this now. She knew that deep down inside, he had wanted to win that competition, and if Ash wasn't going to do anything about it, then she was.

Misty smiled at Ash. "Ash… I feel a little dizzy…" She lied. "I think I'm going to go get something to eat from that restaurant we went to earlier, okay?"

Ash raised a brow at Misty and crossed his arms. "Okay." He said. "I'll wait here for Pikachu. Maybe he'll be ready when you come back."

Misty smiled at Ash and took his hand in hers, squeezing it.

Ash blushed and gave her a soft smile. As much as it was hard for him to say such meaningful words because of how drained he was at that moment, he wanted to anyway, and he could as long as it was to her. "I love you." He said softly.

Misty smiled. "I love you too." She said. She then got up and walked out the door. "I'll be right back!" She said. As soon as she was outside, she darted into the direction that Ms. Neveaux was walking in, and thankfully, they were only about 20 feet ahead of her.

The sidewalk was not crowded at all, so it was very easy for Misty to keep Ms. Neveaux and the other two people beside her in her sight. The two people standing on either side of her looked like they were her friends or something, and one of them was a male, one of them a female. Misty took a better look at them, and after a few moments, she noticed that they looked slightly familiar to her.

After a few more blocks of walking, Ms. Neveaux and the two turned down an alley way and walked down it. Misty, of course, followed them, but she was very quiet. Thankfully, Togepi was being quiet too.

Soon they came to the end of the alley way. Misty looked ahead and around them, spotting a medium-sized building that was very shiny and black. The front door and the windows were tinted.

"Ah… Finally back home after a long day…" Ms. Neveaux said.

"And everything went as planned..." The male said.

"It sure did." Ms. Neveaux said, smiling at her trophy.

Misty bent her eyebrows, confused at the situation. _Who would ever call a building that looks like that home? _She thought.

Ms. Neveaux then smirked to her guests. "I bet you that stupid boy didn't even know what was going on." She said laughing.

Misty's mouth dropped open when she heard this. _I knew it! _ She thought. She decided to stay to hear more. Although, she did wish that she had a tape recorder or something so that Ash could know. But, she trusted Ash and she knew that he trusted her, so she guessed she didn't have to worry.

"Yeah." The female said. "Well, Dusknoir's magnets were concealed quite well." She said smirking.

Misty's mouth dropped open even more. _That's it! They used magnets to make Dusknoir's gravity mechanism even more powerful than usual! _She thought. _But who are these people?_

The male smiled and nodded. "Yep. And all of the genetic engineering work we did on it worked out well too."

Ms. Neveaux smiled. "Yes… the bosses will be quite pleased." She said. "Anywho, lets go inside."

Misty watched the three closely as they walked towards the black building. She wouldn't follow them inside, since the front door security on the building was probably really tight judging from the building's appearance. Instead, she just watched them.

The male looked at Ms. Neveaux while she slid a card into the slot on the front door and punched in a special password with her free hand. "Should we turn on extra high security tonight, Administrator Sarina?" The male asked her.

_Administrator Sarina? _Misty asked herself. Now she definitely knew she had cheated. _Wasn't her name Alexis? What kind of normal person would use a fake name during the championships? _She asked herself.

Commander Sarina smiled at her male partner and shook her head. "No. No one even knows where this place is and I'm going to be packing stuff into my office tonight, so there's no need for it." She said. "Plus, it drains electricity that we need for our projects and experiments."

"Yes ma'am." The male and female nodded.

Administrator Sarina then opened the door and all three of them walked inside. Misty walked up nearer to the building after a few moments and read the white print on the door.

_Team Magma/Team Rocket Headquarters…_Misty thought to herself. _I should have known. _

Misty stayed there for a few moments thinking about how cruel these people were because they always took away other people's dreams. However, after little while, she heard a door open and it sounded like it came from the side of the building. So, she ran back down the alley way as quickly as she could and back to the Pokemon Center.

On her way back, Misty was thinking about everything she had just experienced. _They must have been planning this for a while… _Misty thought. _Maybe that's why those people looked so familiar… Have they been watching us?_ _Maybe they were Jessie and James? No… They didn't look like them at all and James is a lot shorter than that guy in Jessie is a little fatter than that girl…They didn't sound alike either… _Misty then shook her head. Whether or not those two people had been spying on her and Ash and who they were wasn't important now. She had to figure out what she was going to do to get things under control and gain justice for Ash.

_I'll just have to pay the Team Magma/Team Rocket Headquarters a little visit…_Misty said smiling. Boy was she angry that Ash had lost to a cheater. Not only was it affecting Ash, which she did not like, but she almost felt like it was affecting their relationship. And she wasn't going to let ANYTHING get in the way of their love.


	25. I'll Always Love You

As soon as Misty reached the Pokemon center, she opened the door quickly and smiled at Ash, who was at the front desk.

Ash smiled back at her. "Pikachu's going to be ready soon." He said. "What did you have to eat?"

Misty blinked at his question and quickly remembered her excuse for leaving. "I ate some sukiyaki." She responded. "It was good."

Ash smiled. "It sounds good."

Misty frowned at Ash. "Oh, did you want something?" She asked, concerned. She was also thinking about all that happened earlier, and supposed that she would just tell Ash about everything at the hotel.

Ash shook his head. "I didn't then…" Ash said. "But do you mind if I pick something up on the way back?"

Misty shook her head smiling. "I wanted to talk to you about something anyway…"

Ash nodded, wondering what she was going to talk to him about. "Okay."

Soon, Nurse Joy rolled Pikachu back out. Instead of laying down, Pikachu was sitting upright, and smiling happily.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried. He ran over to him, picking him up and giving him a hug.

"Pika pi!" Pikachu nuzzled against Ash.

Nurse Joy smiled. "He's doing just fine now. His recovery was quick too."

"Thanks for being such a great doctor, Nurse Joy." Misty said smiling while Ash cuddled with Pikachu.

Nurse Joy blushed and smiled gratefully. "Well, I have to go back and run a few tests on the other Pokemon. Have a great night and take care of Pikachu!" She said.

"We will!" Ash smiled, waving to Nurse Joy as she walked to the back room.

Misty smiled at Pikachu as it climbed up on Ash's shoulder. "I'm so glad you're alright, Pikachu." She said, rubbing the side of his cheek.

"Kaaa!" Pikachu squealed cheerfully.

Ash smiled at Misty and took a step towards the door. "Shall we?" He asked, taking her hand.

Misty blushed at Ash and nodded. "We shall." _Looks like he's in a better mood now… _Misty thought. That meant Misty was now in a better mood, too.

The two exited the Pokemon center and walked towards the same restaurant that they went to earlier. There were two little tables in front of it, since it wasn't a really huge restaurant and was actually more of a stand.

Once they got there, they looked at the menu and ordered.

"Hello there!" The girl running the stand said. She was maybe a little older than Misty and had black hair and brown eyes.

Ash and Misty greeted her and ordered.

"I'll have some sukiyaki." Ash said. "With some lemonade."

"Okay…" The girl said, punching that into the register. "And for you, Miss?"

Misty smiled. "Uh… I'll have udon with shrimp, please… And a bottle of water."

Ash blinked. "I thought you already ate?" He asked.

Misty blinked and then blushed, remembering her excuse again. "I did… I'm just super hungry."

Ash blinked and then smiled. "Oh, well… Then if that's the case, add some onigiri on there too, please." Ash said.

Misty laughed and smiled at Ash. _Pig… _She thought.

Misty wanted to pay for the bill again, since it was still Ash's day. However, Ash bumped his hip against hers when she was handing the money to the girl, moving Misty to the side. Instead, Ash paid for the bill, giving the money to the girl.

"Hey!" Misty barked, laughing.

Ash smiled at her and blushed while he got his change. "What?"

Misty gave Ash a face. "Meanie."

Ash smiled at her and walked to the table, with Misty following behind him. They both sat down while they waited for their food and Pikachu jumped down on the table. Misty set Togepi on the table as well so the two could play together.

Ash smiled at Misty and nudged her foot with his. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

Misty blushed and would have smiled, but then she remembered what she was going to bring up. "Well… I don't think you'll be really happy to hear it." Misty said.

Ash's smile turned into a frown too. _I hope it's nothing that has to do with US… _Ash thought to himself. "Go ahead. It's fine…" He said.

Misty swallowed and then began to speak. "Well, earlier, when I said I was…"

"Your food is ready!" The girl behind the counter called.

Misty smiled at Ash. "I'll get it." She said. "You just wait here."

Ash smiled at Misty. "Thank you."

Misty blushed. "Well, thank you for paying for it." She said. She then got up and quickly got their food and their drinks, setting them down on the table in front of their seats and sitting down afterwards.

"Mmm… It smells so good." Ash said.

Misty sniffed in the air. "It does…"

The two took a sip of their drinks and a bite of their food, making slurping sounds while doing so and showing compliments to the cook. The girl at the counter watched them and blushed as they complimented her cooking. She then walked away and read a magazine in the back of the restaurant until the next customer came.

"Mmmf… Fits fo gooh…" Ash said, chewing up an onigiri.

Misty smiled and blushed. "Fit if…" She said, slurping up some udon.

Ash paused his eating after he was finished with his two onigiri balls and took a drink of his lemonade. "So, what were you saying earlier?"

Misty took a sip of her water and sighed. "Well…" She paused. "When I was out while you were at the Pokemon center, I saw Ms. Neveaux…"

Ash blinked. "And?"

Misty frowned. "Well… I followed her and she was with two other people… They kind of looked familiar. But, I followed them into an alley way and they stopped at this black building… It was the Team Magma and Team Rocket Headquarters, Ash…"

Ash blinked. "What else happened?" He asked while eating the rest of his sukiyaki.

Misty took a bite of her udon and blinked at Ash. "Well… Ms. Neveaux's name isn't even Alexis Neveaux, her name is Sarina and she works for Team Rocket and Team Magma… They were talking about how they implanted magnets on Dusknoir and genetically engineered it."

Ash almost nearly choked on his sukiyaki when he heard this. As he sat there coughing a little, Misty rubbed his back and looked into the night sky with a worried look on her face. She then looked back at Ash… _Goodness, I'm sorry, Ash… _

Once he gathered himself and stopped coughing, Ash looked at Misty in shocked. "So… she DID cheat." He said.

Misty frowned and nodded slowly. "Yeah… She did." She said.

Ash frowned and clenched his fist. "I knew it!" He picked up his fist and slammed it down on the table angrily.

Misty just sat there, silently… She didn't really know what to say to Ash at a time like this.

Ash shook his head. "What am I going to do?" Ash asked Misty, looking at her. "How am I supposed to go up to someone and tell them that this happened?… They wouldn't believe me."

Misty looked at Ash and blushed. "Ash… We'll take care of it." She said. "Don't worry… And if it doesn't work out, then at least we know we tried."

Ash pushed his foot aside and put his head in his hands. "All that training… It was lost to a CHEATER!" Ash growled.

Misty frowned at Ash. "Ash… it wasn't lost at all. You were the winner. You did your best WITHOUT cheating. You showed YOUR strength, not something else's…" She said. She then rubbed his back again. "Don't worry… It'll be fine…"

Ash looked at Misty. He thought he would get teary eyed again because of having lost so unfairly and because of how comforting Misty was being. All he could do then was lean in towards her and wrap his arms around her… and he did just that.

"Misty…" Ash sobbed. "Thank you…"

Misty blinked and then wrapped her arms around Ash as well. Even though she didn't have as much to be sad about as Ash, she started crying as well. The amount of love she felt then was too much that it was hard for her not to cry. Her warm tears fell down her face and onto Ash's shoulder, while Ash's fell onto hers.

"You've… You've always been there for me…" Ash said. He brought his hand up to stroke the back of Misty's head.

Misty cried more heavily now and rubbed Ash's back lovingly. "Ash… I'll… I'll always be here for you…" She said. She then pulled away from the hug and kissed Ash on the lips softly, feeling his tears onto her chest.

Ash blushed deeply when Misty kissed him and he closed his eyes and stuck his tongue into her mouth passionately, the tears streaming down his face. He then brought his hand up to touch the side of her face softly, stroking her hot, wet cheeks as she cried.

As they both kissed, both of them thought about all that they had been through together… Every mountain they had climbed… every road they walked down… every ocean they swam in… All of it was the most worthwhile thing they had ever experienced in their lives… Not just because of Pokemon, but because of each other…

After a few more moments of sharing the romantic and compassionate kiss, both of them slowly let go and looked deeply into each others eyes… into each other's hearts. Ash then leaned in towards Misty and licked the tears off of her cheeks and below her eyes, causing Misty to blush deeply. Afterwards, Ash took Misty's hand and squeezed it.

"I love you…" Ash said.

"I love you too…" Misty said back.

Ash smiled at her and wiped his tears away from his eyes. "Well… We should be getting back to the hotel room. I kind of lost my appetite anyway after getting so upset." Ash said.

Misty nodded. "Me too…" She said.

The two got up and quickly threw their trash away. It wasn't like there was much food left anyway, so they didn't feel like they were wasting anything. After they were finished, the Misty scooped up Togepi in her arm and Ash let Pikachu jump on his shoulder. They then held hands again lovingly, and walked back up to the hotel room.

Once they were in front of their room, Misty quickly entered her key card and they walked in. Thankfully they hadn't run into Professor Oak or Delia beforehand, since Ash had told him that he wanted some time to himself in the room.

After the door was closed, Ash walked in and sat on his bed, laying down with his arms crossed behind his head while Pikachu rested next to his body.

"I need to use the restroom." Misty said to Ash, closing the restroom door behind her.

Misty put Togepi down on the counter, sat down and did her business. While she did, she noticed that she hadn't gotten her period yet like she was planning to. However, when she was in there, she started feeling a little queasy.

Misty wondered why she was feeling that way if she didn't have her period… "No…" She thought. "That can't be… Or…could it?"

Outside, Ash continued to lay on the bed. He didn't fall asleep, but instead just stared at the ceiling in thought.

After a few moments, Misty walked out of the bathroom. She sat on the bed and stroked Togepi's head.

Ash looked over at Misty with a soft smile on his face. "So… What do you want to do tomorrow?" He asked.

"Well… When are we leaving the island?" Misty asked.

"Tomorrow night…" He replied.

Misty smiled. "Do you want to go to the beach?" She asked.

Ash smiled back. "Sure." He said. "Maybe it'll brighten the mood."

Misty nodded and then got up. She put Togepi down on her bed in her bag where it curled up and went to sleep. It was exhausted after the long day. Misty then lied down next to Ash on his bed. "Well… We should probably get some sleep then…" She said. She turned off the light above them. "You don't mind that we sleep together, right?"

Ash smiled. She was hoping that she would want to go to sleep, since he was tired, and he was even more satisfied that she was right next to him. "I don't mind at all, Misty…" He said.

Misty smiled to herself and blushed. The two sat in silence for a few minutes, until Misty decided to ask a question.

"Ash… What are you going to do about the championships?" She asked.

Ash frowned to himself. "I'll just tell Professor Oak about it when we get back to Kanto…" He said. "…That way there won't be so much drama… You know Team Rocket…"

_Ugh… What the heck? _Misty thought. _When Ash was younger, he'd always rush things and he was so brave… _Misty nodded and then frowned. "Okay… But doing something about it sooner would be more effective…"

Ash nodded. "I know… I really want to do something about it… But… I don't feel up to it today." He said.

Misty nodded. "I see…" She said.

Ash turned over a little so that the frontal part of his body was facing her back. Misty then also turned over, so that they were facing each other.

Ash smiled at her in the darkness. He then put his hand on her hip and rubbed it. "Misty…" He said softly.

Misty blushed and then touched the side of Ash's face with her soft hand. "Mmm?"

"Promise we'll always be together…" He said.

Misty blushed… "Always…" She said. "I love you… I… I… want to spent the rest of my life… with you… I… want to grow old with you…" She said.

Ash smiled to himself and then wrapped his arms around Misty. "Me too… Eternally…" Ash whispered into her ear… "I'll always love you…" He said.

Misty nuzzled her face against Ash's and she tried hard not to cry again… "And I'll always love you…" She said back.

After that, the two just embraced each other, and didn't say a word. They didn't need to… The amount of love they felt then filled their entire bodies, like warm, sweet vanilla.

Soon, Ash fell asleep holding Misty… Misty, however, was still awake. She watched Ash sleep a little… and he looked like an angel. _You had such a rough day… _She thought. _You just rest… I'll take care of everything… _

Misty soon slowly got up from where she was. Thankfully for her, she didn't wake Ash. He was a pretty easy and deep sleeper, so she was grateful for that. She then quietly walked over to her bed and grabbed her bag, instead positioning sleeping Togepi on a pillow surrounded by a blanket.

_You stay here, Togepi… _She thought. _I don't want anything happening to you… _

Misty then quietly walked out the door and down the hallway towards the exit of the hotel. She was going to settle things straight. Not only was she feeling sorry for Ash, but she knew how much they trained towards this and to lose it all to unjust was not going to happen. She wouldn't let it happen.


	26. Justice

When Misty stepped outside of the hotel and began walking towards the same alley way she had walked down earlier, she noticed that it was a lot colder than it was before. _That's weird…It doesn't even feel like summer out here…_She thought.

Even though she was on her way to pay a visit to the headquarters and was all by herself in a city that she wasn't familiar with at night, Misty didn't feel too intimidated at all. She was going to do this for Ash, and that was all there was to it. Plus, she had five Pokemon with her, including Gyarados, her strongest. And anyway, the headquarters building seemed to only be regional anyway, so she didn't think she'd encounter anyone of extreme authority there.

Soon, Misty reached the alley way. She looked down it, into the darkness, and sighed. The closer she got, she more nervous she felt, but she would be okay.

Misty made sure that she was extra quiet, especially when she reached the building. She wondered how she would get in. There was no way she was going to try the front door, since it was tightly locked.

After a few moments of contemplation, she remembered that Administrator Sarina had said that she was going to be moving some things into her office when she was eavesdropping on them earlier. She didn't see any moving trucks or anything of the sort parked in front of the building, however. _Perhaps she's moving in through her window? _She thought.

Misty got down on her knees and crawled around the building very quietly. She didn't see anything unusual on one of the sides or the back, but when she got to the other side, she saw a small truck with some things inside of the back of it, including a small, cedar chest. She also saw the two people that had been with Administrator Sarina before moving everything in, the female inside of her office and the male outside and bringing everything to the window.

Misty, being a clever girl, thought of a brilliant plan on how to get in there. _I've got it! _She thought. _When he's got his back turned towards the window, I'll jump in that chest! _

The perfect opportunity for Misty to go through with her plan came soon when the male grunt was having some troubles getting a tall lamp through the window.

"Ugh… Is there any way you can take it apart so it fits through here?" The female grunt complained.

The male grunt looked the lamp up and down and then shook his head. "Uh… Doesn't look like it…" He said.

The female grunt rolled her eyes. "Ugh… Just meet me around in front then and I'll open the door for you…" She said.

The male grunt smiled at her. "Hehe… And that won't be the only door you're gonna' be opening tonight." He said, winking at her.

The female grunt glared at him. "No perverted jokes on duty." She growled. "Lets go…"

The female grunt exited the Administrator's office and the male grunt walked towards the front of the building slowly, since the lamp was awkward and heavy.

Misty smiled. _Even better! Maybe this will be easier than I thought…_She thought.

Misty quietly crawled through the window and into Administrator Sarina's office. Unfortunately, Administrator Sarina wasn't in there so that Misty could settle things out with her personally, so instead of waiting for her, she walked out of her office and down the hall towards the back of HQ.

Eventually, Misty came to a corridor with a door at the end of it leading downstairs. She bent a brow and then opened the door, looking down the stairs. She heard some water running down there and also heard the sound of a few machines operating. _Maybe this is their laboratory?_ She thought.

Misty quietly walked down the stairs and closed the door behind her. Once she got low enough, she looked in the room to make sure no one was there, which there wasn't.

Once Misty was down there, she walked around the room and she couldn't believe her eyes. _This IS a laboratory…_She thought. All she saw on the tables were a few complicated chemical setups that were connected to machines, but when she got to the back of the room, she gasped and saw what she had come there for.

_Ah… Here's my proof…_Misty thought.

Misty was standing in front of three huge tanks that all had Pokemon in them, one of them having the Dusknoir that Administrator Sarina had battled, one of them having a Gorebyss inside, and one of them having a Drapion. There was a weird green fluid surrounding them, and each tank was hooked up to the machines and the chemical setups on the table.

_This is so wrong…_Misty thought to herself. She then remembered that she needed to actually have evidence of this, so she took out a disposable camera that she had bought from the arena, bent down, and took some pictures of the tanks. After she was done taking one picture of each, she was satisfied.

"There we go…" Misty said to herself, smiling.

"… …Didn't I… see you at the arena?" A strong female voice asked Misty.

Misty gasped and turned around, frightened incredibly. She dropped her camera because she was so startled.

Standing before Misty was Administrator Sarina, dressed in a regular female Team Rocket uniform and a labcoat. Her arms were crossed, and her blood red eyes were looking menacingly down at Misty.

"Why are you here?" She asked Misty.

Misty's eyebrows bent down and she gritted her teeth. She then extended her arm out to get her camera, but the Administrator stomped on it violently and crushed it before she could. Misty whimpered when her camera broke, especially since it had pictures of Ash battling in the championships. She didn't look back at Administrator Sarina, but instead just looked away, pouting.

Administrator Sarina bent down and smiled at Misty, bringing her hand out so that she could touch the tip of Misty's chin and make Misty look into her eyes. "Don't ignore me…" She ordered. "Why are you here?!"

Misty bent her eyebrows down again. "Because I know what you did!" She yelled. "You cheated your way into winning! And don't even deny it!"

Administrator Sarina blinked at Misty, but then showed her that charming smirk of hers. "Now that you've already seen everything, there's no need for me to deny it." She said. She then paused for a moment, looking at Misty.

"Such a pretty, clever little girl…" The Administrator noted. "It's no wonder that Mr. Ketchum is in love with you." She stroked the side of Misty's face with her long fingers.

Misty's mouth dropped open and she bared her teeth. "How do you know about that?!" She barked.

The Administrator let go of Misty's face, but instead touched Misty's neck with her fingertips. "We've been watching you two." She said.

Misty's eyes widened in shock. _What?!_ She thought. _All this time we've been spied on?_ She couldn't believe it…

The Administrator smirked while caressing Misty's collarbone. "You two are so cute together." She said.

Misty blushed when she began touching her chest and pushed the Administrator fiercely, causing her to fall on the ground. "Don't touch me!" She hissed. "You're going to pay for what you've done!"

Misty quickly stood up and grabbed one of her Pokeballs, throwing it into the air afterwards. "Gyarados!" She screamed. "Sabotage this place!"

Once Gyarados popped out of its Pokeball, it struck all of the chemical setups with its huge tail. They all came crashing to the ground, and thankfully, none of the chemicals were volatile enough to cause harm to Misty or Gyarados right away.

The Administrator ran towards the steps and grabbed the walky-talky off of her belt. "Maxie, I need security down in the lab right now!" She then ran up the stairs.

After Gyarados had crushed the machines and shattered the chemical setups, Misty felt like she had done enough damage there.

"C'mon Gyarados, let's go up!" She said. "These chemicals are going to get to us otherwise!"

Gyarados cried its name and flew over to Misty. Misty hopped onto Gyarados and then the water dragon surged up the stairs, breaking through the door and soaring down the corridor like an ancient dragon god.

"Aha! Not so fast!" A deep, yet geeky male voice called. "Camerupt, fissure!"

Misty looked to see where the voice was coming from, but then was startled when Gyarados suddenly dropped into the ground below and was then squeezed in by the floor below. The dragon Pokemon screamed out in pain its body was compressed inside of the crack in the earth triggered by Camerupt. Within seconds, Gyarados fainted.

Misty jumped off of Gyarados onto stable ground. "Gyarados! Come back!" Misty said, opening her Pokeball. After the flash of red light, it was retracted back into its Pokeball and Misty darted towards the front door after she attached her Pokeball back onto her belt.

"Oh, no you don't!" The same male voice called. He ran up to her and wrapped his somewhat muscular arms around Misty, picking her up.

"Let me down!" Misty squealed, kicking her heels against his legs.

"Silence!" The man screamed. He put his hand over Misty's mouth and nose fiercely until she went limp and stopped kicking.

The man who had grabbed Misty and had ordered the fissure attack was no other than Team Magma leader, Maxie. He had long, red hair that spiked and flipped out at the ends, along with sharp, golden brown eyes. He was very thin, yet somewhat muscular, making him strong and agile at the same time. He was tall and was dressed in his usual Team Magma uniform.

Maxie flipped Misty's limp body over his shoulder, having his arm around her two bare thighs. He then made his way towards his office, where Administrator Sarina was. On his way, Maxie got on the walky talky and ordered the two grunts to pause the work that Sarina was having them do and turn on the emergency vents downstairs.

Once Maxie arrived at his office, he flipped Misty over again and stood her up. She was almost near unconsciousness, but could stand. After she was standing, he took her belt off of her and also took her bag so that she would not be able to use any of her Pokemon anymore.

After he put Misty's belongings in a secure place where she couldn't get to them, Maxie looked at the Administrator with his fiery eyes and bared his teeth. "How could you let this happen?!" He barked.

The Administrator bowed to Maxie and frowned. "She must have gotten in through the window when the grunts were packing things into my office." She said.

Maxie blinked at her. "And you let those two dimwits out of your sight?" He asked.

The Administrator kept her bow. "I'm sorry, sir. It will not happen again."

Maxie laughed. "Haha! You're right it won't!" He yelled.

"Enough!" A very deep masculine voice called. Sitting in a large chair at one of the two desks in the large, posh room, was a man with broad shoulders. He had very short, brown hair and his back was facing towards the other three. A Persian was sitting next to him as he smoothly pet its head. When the large man turned around, it was obvious to Misty who it was, Team Rocket's leader, Giovanni.

"I'll just have to have a talk with those two later. We've got more important matters on our hands now." Giovanni said, getting out of his chair.

Maxie and the Administrator both bowed to Giovanni. "Yes, sir."

Giovanni glared at Administrator Sarina and walked over to her. "Leave. You will not make matters worse than they already are." He growled at her.

The Administrator bowed to Giovanni even more. "Understood, sir." She then walked out of the room quietly.

Meanwhile, Misty was still a little dizzy from having been suffocated, but she was alright enough to know what was going on. She didn't say a word in the office and instead just frowned at Giovanni and Maxie.

Giovanni walked up to Misty with a smile on his face. Once he was standing in front of her, he put his hands into his pockets. He was a little less than a foot taller than her, and Misty was 5'5''.

"Is there anything you have to say for yourself?" Giovanni asked her.

Misty looked up at Giovanni with her tired, blue eyes. "No." She said with an expressionless face.

Giovanni blinked at her and leaned down, grinning. "Let me ask you this…" He said. "Why did you come here?"

Misty smiled at Giovanni. "You should know." Misty said.

Giovanni smirked even more largely at her smartness. "I'd like to hear it from you…" He said.

Misty's eyebrows bent downward. "You know exactly why I'm here!" She yelled. "You… You despicable people cheated your way into winning!"

Giovanni's eyes widened at her attitude and he grasped her arm tightly with his large, strong hand. "Don't raise your voice at me, little girl." He said. "You wouldn't want me to gag you, or would you?"

Misty glared at him. "All I know is that you people always try and take the fame and glory from someone else, rather than achieving it yourselves." Misty said.

Giovanni smiled. "It's more…_exciting_ that way." He said.

Misty looked him up and down angrily.

"And anyway… who are you to complain about how we always interfere with your plans? You and your little comrades have ruined the dreams of Team Rocket for _years_ now." Giovanni said. "It's time that you learn your lesson." Giovanni squeezed Misty's arm tighter.

"Uhnn…" Misty whimpered in pain. His grasp was so strong that it felt like tourniquet.

Giovanni smirked, feeling how he always wanted to feel, like he was in charge. "Since you've done so much damage here, you need to tell me where your little friend Ash is to repay." He said.

Misty sneered at Giovanni. "I will never tell you where he is." She said.

Giovanni smirked. "We'll see about that." He said. His grasp got tighter.

"Ahh!" Misty cried. _No…_She thought. _I will never give in…_

"Tell me, god damnit!" Giovanni barked.

"Never!!" Misty barked. "Let go of me!" Misty brought her knee upwards right in between Giovanni's legs and crushed his crouch area with it. Giovanni let go as he cried out in pain and then Misty tried to escape, but Maxie caught her and slammed her against the door, his hands around her wrists and his body pressing against hers so she couldn't move.

"Let go of me! Please!" She said. "I'll do anything except for tell you where Ash is! Let me go!"

Giovanni struggled not to fall to the ground due to the blow and he remained standing up, seething with pain. "You…bitch…" Giovanni growled. He then walked over and pushed Maxie out of the way, slapping Misty hard on her face.

"How dare you!" Giovanni yelled. "You're lucky we didn't STRANGLE you after what you did to this place!"

Tears began to well up in Misty's eyes and she was regretting coming here. If she would have known that the two bosses of the most villainous factions in history were there, she wouldn't have.

"Just let me go…" Misty cried. "I won't tell anyone about this… Please…"

Giovanni grabbed Misty's shirt. "Do you really think we're that stupid, little girl?"

Misty tried to catch her breath while she sobbed. "Please…" She whined.

Giovanni turned back towards Maxie. "Get some restraints." He ordered.

"No! Please!" Misty cried.

While Maxie grabbed some handcuffs and rope out of one of Giovanni's desk drawers, Giovanni pulled Misty's shirt and then her bra fiercely and ripped both of them off of her chest, exposing her breasts.

"No!" Misty said. She covered up her breasts with her hands. "Don't look at me!" She didn't want anyone but Ash looking at her. Otherwise, she would feel like she had betrayed him.

Maxie quickly brought over the restraints and Giovanni pried Misty's arms off of her body and then jerked them so that she turned around. He handcuffed her hands behind her back while he had her pinned to the door.

"No!" Misty cried.

"Yes!" Giovanni barked. "If you don't give us what we want, then we will not do what you want." He quickly bent down and wrapped the rope around Misty's legs, tying it tightly. After he was finished, he pushed his hand in Misty's pants, grabbing the waistband of her panties and her shorts, and soon pulling them off just like he had done to her shirt.

"Don't!" Misty screamed. She turned around and faced the door, so that her back was facing Giovanni. "Don't look at me!"

Giovanni turned Misty around quickly and got in her face. "I will do what I want with you!" He barked.

Misty soon calmed down. There was no point in fighting against him. He was much larger than her and she didn't want to be beaten anymore, so she just stood there, the tears streaming down her pink cheeks.

Giovanni smiled at Misty's attitude change. "That's a good girl." He said. He then placed his hand on one of her breasts and kneaded it strongly.

"Ahnn!" Misty cried.

As Giovanni kept touching her with his strong hands, he used his pointer finger and thumb to pinch at her nipple. After pinching at it gently a few times, he squeezed on it intensely.

Misty shrieked in pain as he tortured her, and she just tried to keep her eyes closed so she wouldn't have to look at him and know that she was being molested by a man nearly three times her age.

"Such sensitive, round breasts…" Giovanni noted, smiling.

Maxie stood next to them and watched Giovanni have his way with her with a smirk on his face.

Giovanni's hand then slithered down Misty's soft belly and then stopped when he reached her pubic area. He rubbed there, feeling her short, little red hairs that were just beginning to grow back after shaving.

Misty opened her eyes. "No!" She screamed. "Don't you dare touch me there!"

Giovanni smiled at her while slipping his large finger inside of her slit. "I'll touch whatever I want with whatever I want." He said clearly.

Misty looked down and noticed that he had a full on erection. _No…_Misty thought. _This can't be happening!!_

Giovanni smiled at Misty and stopped touching her, instead resting his arm on the wall while he reached down and unzipped himself with his other hand. He then pulled his briefs down, exposing himself to her.

Misty kept her eyes tightly shut.

Giovanni smirked at her. "Look at me." He commanded.

Misty ignored him.

Giovanni clenched his fist. "Look at me, you worthless whore!"

Misty opened her eyes a little, seeing Giovanni's arm resting on the door, positioned right next to her face. _I've got an idea…_She thought to herself.

Misty then opened her eyes all the way and looked down at Giovanni's member, just glancing at it once and then looking back up at him. She gave him this wild look and then smiled a little. "It's so big…" She said sexily.

Giovanni smiled at her and then closed his eyes, using his free hand to rub himself. As he was about to position himself right on Misty's slit, Misty smiled to herself and then turned her head over quickly, opening her mouth and then chomping down with all her might on Giovanni's brachial artery, her sharp incisors puncturing his skin.

"Aghhh!" Giovanni cried. He held his arm in pain and backed away from Misty. The wound was already beginning to bruise and bleed, the blood dripping off of his arm and onto the floor.

Giovanni looked at Misty with an evil look in his eye, his aggressive face looking as mean as a wolf's.

Misty looked at Giovanni just as angrily. "You will not violate me!" She yelled.

Giovanni looked at Maxie with a frown on his face. "Get some duct tape and open the chair." Giovanni growled at him.

Maxie nodded. "Yes." He replied.

Maxie then walked over to Giovanni's desk and took out a roll of duct tape from one of the drawers. He also took out a special remote control, which had been locked in a small safe in one of the drawers. Maxie then walked over to Giovanni and handed him them both.

Giovanni nodded at Maxie and then looked back at Misty. "You've given me no choice." He growled. He took a piece of duct tape off of the roll and walked up to Misty, slamming it against her mouth. Afterwards, Misty screamed at Giovanni, even though it was all indiscernible.

Giovanni smirked at her. "You can scream all you want, little girl." He said. "I can't understand you."

Giovanni then grabbed Misty's arm just as tight as he did earlier. His pants were still unzipped, and his member still exposed. Giovanni led her to the wall and then pressed a button on the remote control that he was holding.

Misty watched, horrified. _What's going to happen to me next?_ She thought.

After a few seconds, a chair appeared, with part of the wall turning out slowly. The chair was big, and it had a lot of buttons on it, but there was really only one use for it.

Giovanni walked up to the chair and threw Misty down on it. He then pulled his briefs up and zipped himself back up. "This will teach you to never meddle with our plans again!" He screamed at her. Misty just looked up at him like a scared puppy, which, of course, only fed Giovanni's huge and hungry ego.

Once Misty was seated, he backed away and pressed a button on the remote. Within moments, a large surge of light appeared around Misty, and she screamed out in pain. It wasn't electrocuting her, but instead just sending out weak lasers that caused intense pain, much like those used when Ash was battling for his eighth badge back in Kanto, only about 10 times stronger.

After a few seconds, the surge stopped, and Misty found it hard to open her eyes again. Her skin was bright and red now from the pain, and she couldn't keep her head up straight, it just hung down. _Please…_She thought. _Make it stop…_


	27. With or Without You

"Toge… togebriii!" _Pikachu, wake up!_

"Chuuu?" _Whaaa?_

"Togebriii! Toge to…briii!" _Misty isn't here!_

Pikachu blinked at Togepi and then jumped off of the bed quietly, looking around for Misty. When he noticed that she was no where in sight, Pikachu ran back over to the bed and jumped on it.

"Pika pikachu… Pi pi pi?" _What are we going to do, Togepi?_

"Togebrii!" _Wake Ash up!_

"Pika pika!" _But he'll get angry!_

"Briiiiiiii!" Togepi began to cry hysterically. If Pikachu wasn't going to wake Ash up, then it was.

"Pika!! Pi pi pi!!!" _Shut up, Togepi!_

"Mmm…" Ash groaned. "Is it already morning?"

Togepi stopped crying as soon as Ash woke up and sat on the bed, watching them.

Pikachu smiled at Ash when he noticed he was up. "Pika pi! Pikachu!" _Ash! Misty's gone!_

Ash blinked at Pikachu and then looked next to him, noticing that Misty wasn't there. "Where's…Misty?" He asked himself. Ash then got up from the bed and looked all around the hotel room. "Hey, Misty?" He called.

After he noticed that she wasn't there, Ash looked at the window in thought. "Where could she be?" He asked himself. _She didn't say anything about going out…_He thought. _But she was pretty hasty about… No…_

After contemplating for a few moments, Ash figured out where Misty was. Where else would she be in the middle of the night? She was at the Team Rocket/Team Magma Headquarters and there was no way he was just going to sit there and wait for her.

_Oh no… What if she's in trouble?_ He thought. Ash grabbed his bag and signaled Pikachu to come along with him. He would leave Togepi there, since it was sitting on the bed still anyway and looked pretty tired.

"You stay here, Togepi." He said. "I don't want anything happening to you."

After Togepi nodded, Ash quickly walked out the door with Pikachu running behind him. Once he was in the hallway, he darted quickly towards the stairs and then towards the hotel entrance, exiting the hotel and then running down the sidewalk in search for the Headquarters. _That's right… By what Misty said, it must be down the alleyway between the Pokemon center and the restaurant…_Ash thought. While he ran, it was raining slightly outside.

"Please!" Misty cried. "No more!"

By now, the adhesive keeping the duct tape on Misty's mouth had evaporated due to the intensity of the shocks and fell off of her mouth.

Giovanni smirked at Misty while he kept his finger positioned on the button controlling the lasers. "If you don't tell us what we want to know, then you will pay the price!" He barked. He then pressed the button again, the lasers engulfing Misty's entire body and putting her through excruciating pain. Her screams could be heard throughout the headquarters.

After 15 seconds, each surge stopped until the next one was ordered. Misty, now having been shocked at least 5 times, was breathing heavily and quickly, sounding like she was going to have a heart attack. Her skin was patched with blisters and burns from the lasers, and her arm and face was heavily bruised from where Giovanni had grabbed and slapped her, respectively. Her entire body felt weak and her skin felt like it was on fire.

Giovanni smirked at her again. "I want to see this one more time and then I think that will be enough." He said. He pressed the button again.

Misty shrieked in pain as the lasers hit her again. She could feel the electricity flowing through her veins as she was tortured, and the lasers incinerating her skin. What she was going through was what it felt like to be on fire while having a seizure at the same time. As the last blow finished up, her nose started bleeding heavily, and she coughed up some blood.

Giovanni's eyes widened when he saw how much the lasers had effected her, but he then closed his eyes and smirked. "You're a strong little girl." He said. "Boy, we would be lucky to have you if you joined our team."

Misty looked up at him with her fierce eyes. She didn't say a word.

Giovanni walked over to Misty and grabbed her arm again, pulling her out of the chair. "How about it?" He asked.

Misty looked up at him with the same fierce look while she stood. Each time she did, it got weaker and weaker, and each time she struggled to look up at him, her vision became blurred. "I'd…rather d-die than join." She said. She could feel tears beginning to well up in her eyes again, and as they fell down her raw and bruised cheeks, she winced in pain at the stinging.

Giovanni smiled at her. "Eh, that's right. You're far too emotional anyway." He scolded.

Misty frowned. "I t-think… anyone would be…af…after this." She said. Her knees were beginning to wobble as she stood and her feet were beginning to go numb.

Giovanni looked down at her and then he crossed his arms. "You have one more chance to tell us where he is…"

Misty smiled to herself and then she coughed up more blood. "I will never tell you…" She said.

Giovanni gritted his teeth and then uncrossed his arms, swinging one of them towards Misty and knocking her onto the ground so forcefully that her handcuffs broke. "You fool!" He yelled.

Misty looked up to the ceiling and closed her eyes. It was becoming too hard for her to keep them open. "Ash…" She mouthed.

"Glalie!" Ash yelled. "Break through this wall!"

Ash had found his way to the headquarters very quickly and brought out Glalie in order to break through the front entrance, which was already partially destroyed because of the confrontation between Misty's Gyarados and Maxie's Camerupt.

Glalie nodded to Ash and backed away from the building, only to float towards it quickly and crush into it, causing the entire wall to break down.

Ash smiled at Glalie. "Good work!" He said. "Let's go!"

Ash ran towards the back of the building, with Pikachu and Glalie following behind him. He followed the signs that directed visitors to the boss's office. He figured that if Misty had been gone this long, she must have been caught by the authorities there.

Ash had run so quickly and quietly that there was no way he would be caught by any of the other members in the building, especially since the Administrator's office was on the other side. Once Ash made it to the boss's office, he took a deep breath and then ordered Glalie to break through the door and it did so accurately and successfully.

"Aghhh!" Maxie screamed. He had been standing in front of the door and he fell onto the floor from Glalie's impact. After the door was broken, Glalie landed on top of him, crushing his spine and his ribs.

"What?!" Giovanni yelled.

Ash looked at Misty and his eyes widened in shock. _No!!! _He ran over to her with his Pokemon following behind him, kneeled down, and held her upper body up in his arms, resting her on top of his legs as he kneeled. The tears welled up in his eyes and fell quickly over his cheeks. "Misty…" He whispered to her.

Ash then looked fiercely at Giovanni. "What the fuck have you done to her?!" He screamed.

Giovanni took his angry eyes off of Maxie, who was unconscious. "What does it look like?" He screamed back. "We tortured her, just like she did to this building!"

Ash bared his teeth at him. He then looked at Pikachu with the same angry look on his face and nodded.

"Pika!" Pikachu yelled.

"What?" Giovanni looked at Pikachu.

Pikachu then ran up to Giovanni, his tail beginning to glow, and whacking him in the head with his iron tail attack before he could react. Giovanni quickly fell to the ground, just as unconscious as Maxie was, some blood trickling out of his ear.

"A-Ash…" Misty weakly called to him. Her wet, large blue eyes opened slowly, looking like they were in pain.

"Misty!" Ash smiled when she opened her eyes. Pikachu and Glalie ran over to Misty and gathered around her, Pikachu looking down at her with tears in its eyes. "Chuu…" Pikachu whimpered. Glalie, even though it didn't know Misty very well, was also very sad and its icy body became much colder than usual.

Ash wrapped his arms around her broken, blistered, and bruised body, his tears falling and stinging against her chest. "What in the world did they do to you?" He asked, sobbing.

Tears began to form in Misty's eyes as well. "Tort…tortured me…Harassed… me…" She paused. She coughed up more blood, and it trickled out of her mouth. "… they put me on that…ch-chair and it…shocked me…or something..." She pointed weakly to it.

Ash flinched when he heard what they had done to her. "Misty…" Ash cried.

Misty smiled back at Ash weakly. "…I… was trying to protect… you guys." She said, coughing again. "They asked me…where you… w-were. I didn't…tell them."

Ash's eyes widened. "C'mon, we've got to get you to a hospital!" He said. He then put his hands on the backs of her knees and on her back.

Misty smiled at Ash. "Ash… I don't think… I can make it." She said.

Ash nodded. "Then I'll go call an ambulance." He said. Ash ran over to the phone and got on the phone with the Evergrande EMS.

"We need an ambulance at the Team Rocket/Team Magma Headquarters right away!" He yelled.

"I'll send one there right away." The operator said.

Ash quickly hung up and ran back over to Misty, holding her like he had done before.

Misty smiled at him. "Thank you, Ash…" Misty said.

The tears fell faster. "Of course, Misty." He said. He wrapped his arms around her again.

Misty smiled at Ash. "C-can you kiss me?" Misty asked.

Ash pulled away from his hug and nodded. "Of course!" He said. He then closed his teary eyes, letting the rest of his tears out, and planting a kiss on her lips.

Misty kissed him back as passionately as she could, sticking her tongue inside of his mouth. She then pulled away and looked at him lovingly, since she needed to come up for air.

Ash smiled at her. "I… I love you, Misty."

Misty coughed up some more blood and began to shake a little because of it. She then took Ash's hand. "I love…you too." She said weakly. She then coughed again.

"Misty!" Ash cried. "Please hang in there!"

The tears in Pikachu's eyes fell down his cheeks as he watched Misty.

Misty looked at Ash lazily. "Ash… I-I'm scared… I can't see much." She said.

Ash squeezed her hand. "Misty… Don't leave me!"

Misty smiled at him. "I love you, Ash…"

Ash smiled back. "I love you too, Misty!" He rubbed her neck softly.

Misty then became too weak to say anything else. Her legs were going limp from all of the neurological trauma she had gone through while she was sitting on that chair. While she became weaker, she thought about all of the times she had with Ash… How much she had always wanted to tell him that she loved him, but couldn't. She thought about how much they had been through in the past few years… How many happy times, how many sad times, and how many angry times. She thought about the past month and how happy she was with how close they had gotten… She thought about when they had sex and how amazing it was… and she wondered if she was actually pregnant or not. If she was, even though she was only eighteen and she wanted to train and travel the world, she wouldn't mind having a child, as long as it was _Ash's _child. Despite her happiness in that moment…there was one thing that she was disappointed about…

_If I would have known that he liked me and I would have known that it would end this way… I would have told him sooner. _She thought.

Misty looked up at the ceiling and closed her blue eyes, letting out a sickly sigh.

"No!" Ash cried. "Don't go, Misty! I need you!" Ash held her close.

But she couldn't hear him. His cries were just echoes now.

After Ash held her for a few more minutes and as he heard the sirens coming towards the building, Ash felt Misty's body go limp and cold.

Ash's eyes widened and he looked at Misty. "Misty?" He called. He tapped her shoulder lightly. "Misty?" He called again.

Ash's tears fell faster down his cheeks. "C'mon, Misty." Ash said laughing and crying at the same time. "This isn't funny! Wake up!" He called, shaking her body.

But there was no response.

Ash's mouth dropped open. "No…" He said to himself.

Pikachu looked at Ash. "Pika pi…" He said sadly.

"Misty…" Ash sobbed. He then held her face tightly to his chest, right on top of his heart. "Misty!"

The ambulance soon arrived at the building and the paramedics ran quickly into the room. It was now morning.

Ash looked at the paramedics when they came in and his eyes were red from crying so much. He held on to Misty and kept her close.

A female paramedic came up to Ash and looked at him. "I'm sorry, sir." She said. "Please let go, we need to examine her."

Ash didn't listen to her. "No!" He screamed at her.

The female paramedic looked to her partner, who was male, and he nodded at her and then walked over to Ash, prying him off of Misty.

"Let go of me!" Ash yelled. He squirmed under the man's hard grasp, but soon gave up and just looked at Misty sadly, the tears streaming down his face more.

The female paramedic checked for consciousness, breathing, and a pulse and then looked up to her partner and Ash. "She's…gone." She said sadly.

Giovanni, who was still laying down, but now conscious smiled to himself. "Good." He said. "That little bitch deserves to be dead."

Ash looked at Giovanni and seethed in anger. He got out of the man's grasp who was holding him and jolted over to him, getting on top of him and punching him in the face repeatedly.

"You did this to her, you sick bastard!" Ash screamed while he slammed his fist into Giovanni's face over and over again.

The male paramedic darted over to Ash and grabbed him, bringing him off of Giovanni. "Cut it out! We'll handle this." He said. Continuing to hold Ash, who was breathing very heavily.

The female paramedic had called another assistant into the building who was rolling a stretcher in. Then both of them lifted Misty's nude body onto the stretcher, pulling the sheet over her body and then over her face.

"Pronounced dead at the scene at 17:36 hours." The female paramedic said.

Ash couldn't stop crying as they wheeled Misty's body into the ambulance in order to take her to the coroner. Then, a male police officer came into the building in order to question Ash.

The male paramedic left Ash with the police officer and walked out with his colleagues. Ash wanted to kill Giovanni and Maxie both, but he didn't want to be arrested.

The policeman looked down at Ash. "What happened here?" He asked.

Ash didn't look up at him, but only looked down at the floor, crying, while Pikachu and Glalie stood next to him. "They killed her." He said monotonously.

The police officer looked over to Maxie, who was not unconscious anymore, but severely hurt, a puddle of blood surrounding him. He then looked at Giovanni, who's nose was broken from Ash's beating, but was also conscious. He then got on his walky-talky. "I need two more ambulances and more officers down here, stat." He then put it back on his belt.

He looked down at Ash and put his hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, kid. We'll handle all of this." He said. "Just get out of here before you get in trouble."

Ash nodded to the police officer and recalled Glalie slowly. He then walked out of the building, with Pikachu slowly jumping on top of his shoulder.

Ash then made his way back to the hotel and up into the hotel room. When he got there, he lied down in his bed. He stared over at Misty's bed and started crying again when he looked at Togepi, who was sleeping. _What am I supposed to do? _He thought to himself.

There was nothing he could do right then besides cry himself asleep next to Pikachu. He wouldn't tell his mother or Professor Oak about this yet… He didn't have the nerve to. All he knew was that he wanted to go back to Kanto. He didn't want to be on this island anymore. He didn't want to be anywhere anymore… without Misty. Now that she was gone, he couldn't live with or without her...


	28. Memories

**Hey everyone. I know a lot of you have been disappointed in the way this story has been going. Some of you are saying that I never hinted at a tragic ending. However, you are wrong because ever since the beginning in the author's notes, I said that this will be a "dramatic and heart-wrenching story." You're also saying that I never hinted at Misty's death directly.**

**No, I actually didn't because it would be futile to hint at a murder like this. It would be because it would be hard to present as a direct hint without giving everything away. If you actually look over the last few chapters, I gave subtle hints about a tragic ending. The addition of a lot more plot is one thing, the grunts spying on them is another, the Championships being rigged is another. I also gave lots of hints at the ends of chapters, epsecially in the last 10 chapters, if you'd so kindly go back and read. **

**My point is that you cannot say that I didn't provide any hints or that this is overly-shocking when I gave subtle hints everywhere. I didn't want to give anything away, so that's why I didn't give big hints. Which is why some of you need to put your hint glasses on and re-read. (I'm not mentioning any names.)**

**I'm not trying to be rude, I don't want to lose any of you as fans. And I respect your criticism. I know I should definitely go back and edit this once this story is complete and add more hints in. It's just that I try my best to update and make this story exciting, but you guys have to try your best as readers too and try to notice some of these things.**

**A lot of the clarification that a lot of you are wanting anyway is coming in the next few chapters. Don't worry, I believe I can put a good ending to this story, even with all of the tragedy. I've just been planning an ending like this from the beginning and I hope you guys take the next few chapters better than you took 27. **

**Anyway, thanks and I hope you enjoy this chapter. **

**-Kayla**

"_Hold up, Ash! I know you're excited for your battle, but wait for me!" Misty called. _

_Ash looked behind him and smiled at her while she caught up. "How 'bout I just give you a piggy back ride?" He asked her._

_Misty blushed and blinked. "Ah… well… Okay!" She said. She put Togepi in her bag so she could hold on. _

_Ash bent down so Misty could get on him."Hop on!" Ash said excitedly. _

_Misty smiled at him. "Alright!" She then sat on his back, holding onto his shoulders for dear life and letting him grab the backs of her knees. Pikachu then jumped off of Ash and onto Misty's shoulder instead._

_Ash smiled to himself. "Here we go!" He said, getting up and jogging toward the place where he said he'd meet AJ. _

_Misty looked down at Ash. "Hehe… You don't run as fast with me on you." She said. "So… how come you decided to do this?" _

_Ash breathed heavily from jogging with the extra weight. He was very strong and was taller and heavier than Misty, but she was still a lot to carry. "Because it's fun!" Ash said. "And it's something we both love." _

_Both of them giggled and blushed, Ash looking up at Misty and Misty looking down at Ash. _

"Mmmnn… Misty…"

Ash's eyes soon slowly opened as he awoke from his slumber. His eyes were still swollen and red from crying so much, and when he saw no one was sleeping next to him, the tears welled up again.

_I was dreaming about her…_He thought. _About our journey together…We were so…happy…_

Inside, Ash felt like he just wanted to scream and cry like a child, but he didn't have the energy to do so. Instead, he just silently cried, while looking at Togepi, who was still sleeping.

_How am I supposed to tell Togepi? _Ash asked himself. _God… why did this have to happen to us? _The tears rolled down his cheek faster and faster.

"Huh?" Ash heard someone knock on the door and he quickly got up. While he stood, he tried to wipe all the tears from his eyes.

"I'm coming!" Ash called. He then walked towards the door and opened it. It was his mother, and tears were in her eyes.

"Ash…" She said. She took a step towards him and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm so sorry…"

Ash blinked while his mother hugged him. _She knows? _He thought. The tears welled up in his eyes again, and he cried into his mother's shoulder.

"Mom…" He said. "I can't believe she's gone…"

Ash's Mom sobbed and cried into his shoulder as well. "I know…"

Ash then pulled away from his mother and looked up at her with his swollen eyes. "How…do you know?" He asked.

Ash's Mom looked down to the ground. "The coroner's office called everyone who was close to her. They called you, but you didn't answer, so they transferred it to our room." She replied.

Ash nodded while the tears still fell. He didn't know what else to say.

Ash's mom put her hand on his shoulder. "Honey… We can go back to Kanto now if you want." She said. "Her sisters also called his morning and they said that the funeral will be held near the Viridian forest."

Ash looked up at his mother and nodded. "I'll get my things." He said.

Ash walked into the room and packed all of his things up into his bag. He scooped Togepi up into his arms, trying not to wake it, and put it in his bag after everything else was packed. Pikachu then jumped up on Ash's shoulder, and licked one of his tears away while crying a little itself. "Chu…"

Ash smiled lightly at Pikachu and then walked out of the room. As he stood in the doorway, he took one last look at the room, thinking about how close they had gotten over the past few days, and then exited the room.

Ash walked down to his mother and Professor Oak's room and stood outside, waiting for them. After about five minutes, Professor Oak and his mother walked out, carrying their luggage. Professor Oak looked like he had also been crying.

"Let's go…" Professor Oak said.

The four of them then made their way down the hall, down the elevators, and out of the hotel. They walked towards the ferry and got on. Ash didn't decide to sit on the bow just yet and instead sat by his mother and Professor Oak on the stern.

There was an awkward silence in the air as the horn to the boat sounded. Ash looked at his mother and her luggage, noticing that she was carrying a bag that looked awfully like Misty's. Delia noticed that he was looking at it, and she remembered something.

"Oh… The police dropped this off earlier." Delia said. She handed the bag to Ash.

Ash looked at Misty's bag and took it from his mother, holding it to his chest. He started crying again, and instead of staying there and letting his mother and Professor Oak just sit there and watch him drown in misery, he got up and ran to the bow of the ship, which was empty.

Ash sat down on the bench and Pikachu hopped off of him, sitting next to him.

"Misty!" Ash cried.

He held her bag close to his heart and sobbed for a few minutes. The boat was beginning to pick up speed now, and the mist coming up from the ocean lightly touched his warm and swollen face through the smooth light breeze.

The breeze, the mist, and the smell of the ocean reminded him of her. It reminded him of how they sat on the bow during the ferry rides and looked out into the deep sunset, feeling so close to one another in the beautiful scenery.

But now, the most colorful sunset would just seem gray. The water polluted, and the sky black.

While the boat sped towards Kanto, Ash sat there on the bow and thought about everything. He asked himself why it had to end this way. Everything was going so well… So why did it have to end this way… So sudden, so soon… So dramatic. _She died trying to protect me… _Ash thought. _She died for me!_

The tears fell even more. So fast that it felt like if he were to sit there for a long time, he could create an ocean of his own with his tears, an ocean that was cold and deep… Just like his now broken heart.

_We've been through so much together…_ He thought. _And now we won't be able to spend our futures together… like we were planning to._

Ash then thought about what his future would be like without Misty. He had grown so close to her over the past month or so that he couldn't really imagine himself without her. He felt like she had become a part of him… He felt like she was the warmth and happiness that flowed through his veins and kept him going as a person and a Pokemon trainer. And now that the warmth and happiness was gone… He didn't know what do to with himself… at all.

After a few moments of more contemplation, Ash decided to see what was in Misty's bag. He opened it up and saw her five Pokeballs, some pads, a bottle of water, and a few other things underneath.

Ash dug inside and took out all of her pokeballs, her pads, and her bottle of water, putting them on the crease between his legs. He then looked deeper inside and found the photograph of her family that they had gotten earlier, a box, and a small notebook.

_She sure did fit a lot in here…_Ash thought, giggling to himself while he cried.

Once Ash looked inside of the box, he saw Misty's good luck charm, the same hook that she had caught Ash with when they had first met. When he saw it, his mouth opened, and he sobbed even harder now, remembering when they met and remembering their first days. He remembered how much of a great best friend she was… and how much he loved her even though neither of them were strong enough to admit their feelings.

He remembered how much she always looked out for him. She was always very motherly. Yeah, Brock did the cooking and everything, but Misty was the one that made sure that Ash was taking care of himself and that he was trying his best.

_She was so…encouraging…_He thought to himself as he closed the box and put it back into her bag. He then wiped away some of his tears and took out the notebook that was in her bag, looking at the cover of it.

The notebook itself was blue, very flexible, and medium-sized. It looked kind of old and like it had been dropped in the water a few times. It was covered with many stickers, some with a few quotes on it, some with pictures of Misty's favorite Pokemon, including Togepi and Starmie, and some of some cute clothing styles. Ash looked to see if there were any stickers on the back of the notebook, and there were.

The only sticker on the back was of a photo of Ash and Misty. It was taken when they were in the orange islands, back when Misty was about thirteen and Ash, eleven. Ash remembered the time when they were by themselves on the orange islands for a little while, and even though it was a little scary for both of them because they were on a deserted island, Ash had so much fun just being with her… and only her.

The tears started up again as he stared at the picture. He then turned the notebook around and opened it, looking at the pages.

Inside, were pages and pages of handwriting. Each page or two was dated… and the very first page was dated on the first day they had met. _It's Misty's diary…_He thought. Ash read what Misty had wrote…

_Today I met a really weird kid while fishing… He didn't just come along and say hi, but I actually caught him! Anyway… he had his hurt Pikachu in his hands and needed to take it to the Pokemon center… so he took my bike! That little bug… Boys can be so inconsiderate sometimes… I mean, I know he was in a hurry and all… But he could have like, had me take his Pikachu or something._

_Goodness, I hope nothing happens to my bike. I used all my money that I had saved up on it. _

_But… despite him being rude… He WAS pretty cute. Shaggy black hair, big brown eyes… tanned skin. And he seemed to really care about his Pokemon._

_I hope I see him again…_

_That's all for today…_

_-Misty _

Ash smiled as he read the diary entry and then looked and read through the rest of the pages. While he read, he laughed, he cried. Misty didn't write in it every day, but only wrote in it when something between her and Ash had happened, or when she had participated in a special contest, or when she was complaining about her Pokemon (mostly Psyduck) or Brock. He read about the times like when they were on that blimp together, when Misty had gotten scared of ghosts or bugs, her jealousy for Melody and many other girls, their battle in the Whirl Cup, and finally, their departure.

The time flew by as he read the diary, and Ash's mind pondered upon so many memories and so many emotions. He soon made it to the very last entry after reading about 35 of them and they were about to pull into the port in Pallet Town.

_The last month has been a really fun time… So much has happened. I'm sorry I haven't written in here much… but I've been so busy…_

_Ash came back to Kanto and we trained for his Hoenn League competition, but… we did some other things too… We explored a lot, ate at different places, and just hung out… It was the most fun I had... since we all left..._

Ash smiled while he cried. "Misty…" He continued reading.

_There was this one time we went swimming at a river that was near the Viridian forest… I think it might have been the same river we met near, but I'm not entirely sure. _

_But… somehow, the issue of my parents came up, and we talked about it… And… Ash was there for me. He was there for me. And even though I've always felt really close to him, I felt like we were all alone in the world when we were next to each other. And… talking about things it led us to our… first kiss, which was really, really nice. It was weird how our first kiss was so near the place where we met…but it was really cool. _

_After that… we arrived in Cerulean City because I wanted to pick up a picture of my family and the hook… my good luck charm. I also wanted to get Gyarados, especially since we were going to go on a long journey. Ash battled Gary in the gym, and he actually won. He's so great._

_For the rest of our time in Kanto, Ash and I talked a lot, but we also trained a lot too. Ash battled a lot of his old friends like he wanted to… And it was so fun watching him battle again. He's such an amazing Pokemon trainer. _

_Then we came over here to Hoenn. It's really nice over here. The weather is beautiful, and the people are very nice. The boat ride over here was awesome too. The first day after we got here, we went to the opening ceremony for the championships and I met some of Ash's new friends and saw Brock again… But one of his friends, May, was scaring me because it seemed like they were flirting with one another._

_So then, Ash and I got in this huge fight about it, which I don't really want to talk about, but after, we made up… And then, well. We had sex. It was really, really nice and felt really good, even though it was our first time… I'm really glad that we did it though. I really love him more than anyone, and I hope he feels the same way about me._

_Then, the championships started, and well… Ash lost to this girl who I think cheated. Professor Oak even thought she cheated because her Dusknoir, or whatever it's called, used a gravity attack that was much stronger than usual…_

_So, then we went to the Pokemon center and had Pikachu healed. I was thinking about the championships more, and how I really thought that girl cheated. Ash and I talked about it, but he didn't want to do anything. He's usually so excited about those sort of things… But he said he just wanted to go back to the hotel and stuff._

_So, I lied to him and told him I was going to go eat something, but I actually went to follow the girl he had battled, since I saw her walking around outside. She was walking with two other people and I followed them to this black building, and I found out that she WAS actually cheating and that they had genetically engineered her Pokemon. Yeah, I know it's not right to get into other's business, but I had to do this for Ash. _

Ash blinked when he found out that Misty had lied to him. _If she would have told me that she wanted to go so badly… Maybe I would have gone with her…_ He thought. He continued reading.

_So… then I went back and we went out to eat after Pikachu was okay, and it was really good. I told Ash about what I saw and he got really upset. But, I tried to comfort him. I want to be there for him, you know? It hurt seeing him cry like that… But we kissed again while we were there, and it felt really good because we were both just comforting each other… I felt so close to him._

_So… after that we went back up to the hotel and here I am now, in the bathroom, finishing up this long diary entry that I started a week or two ago. I still haven't gotten my period yet! I hope there's nothing wrong with me… I'm scared that I might be pregnant… But, even if I am, I don't know if I'd mind it so much because I know that it is Ash's. _

_Anyway… Tonight, while Ash is sleeping, I want to go out to the headquarters and see what's going on with all of this. Ash worked too hard for this just to lose it all to some cheater. I feel like it is my duty to do this for him, after all he's done for me. After all, he's my best friend, and my love. _

_Anyway, I hope I can handle this by myself!_

_-Misty 3_

Ash smiled at Misty's diary entry and the tears fell down his face even more. She died protecting him. She died looking out for him and getting justice. She died trying to help him… And that was the saddest part of all.

The boat horn soon sounded and Ash quickly wiped his tears away, placing the notebook and the rest of Misty's belongings in her bag. He stood up and walked towards the exit, looking at the ocean's horizon while he waited for the gate to open up.

_She really loved me…_He thought. _Misty…I love you too…_

Before the gate opened, Ash's mother and Professor Oak walked up next to him. They didn't talk to him because they knew he was in an emotional state.

All of them exited the boat soon and walked towards the house. Once they arrived, they all walked in, and Ash walked up to his room with Pikachu on his shoulder and Togepi in his bag still.

He then sat on his bed. Pikachu jumped off and sat next to him while Ash opened up his bag and took Togepi out. The small Pokemon was awake now.

"Togebrii!!!" Togepi ringed.

Ash frowned at Togepi and held it in his arms like Misty had done, only facing the Pokemon towards him. He looked down at it, and into its eyes. That's when the tears started coming again.

After a few minutes, Togepi began looking around the room, noticing that its mother wasn't there. "Togebri?" Togepi said, looking up at Ash.

Ash's tears started falling faster and plopped onto Togepi's face.

"Pi pi pi…" Pikachu said.

Ash sniffed and then rubbed Togepi's head. "Togepi… Misty… She's… she's gone." He said, sobbing.

Togepi blinked at Ash and it finally noticed what was going on. Its mother had never left it for anything. Not once. And now that she was gone and Ash and Pikachu were crying, Togepi pretty much knew what had happened.

The small egg Pokemon's tears started welling up and dribbled down its face. Then its cries became so heavy that it was streaming down its body and onto Ash's clothes.

"Togebriiii!!!!" Togepi cried.

Ash held Togepi close to him and cried along with it, while Pikachu walked up to them and cried with them. "I'm sorry, Togepi!" Ash cried.

After a few moments, Ash heard a knock on the door and he looked up, wide eyed.

After wiping his tears away, Ash set Togepi down on his bed and got up. "I'm coming." He said.

At his door, was Professor Oak.

"Can I come in?" He asked.

Ash nodded and stepped aside. Professor Oak walked in and sat on Ash's bed, picking up Togepi and petting it while also petting Pikachu. Ash sat next to him.

"Your mother wanted me to talk to you." Professor Oak said.

Ash looked at Professor Oak sadly and nodded.

"Well I don't know how good I am at this kind of stuff, but look, Ash… We all lose people in life who are close to us." He said. "Both of my parents are gone, I've watched friends die…"

Ash looked at Professor Oak with tears in his eyes. "But, I loved her… I _loved _her!"

Professor Oak frowned down at Ash as he cried. "I know…" He said.

Ash brought his hand up to his face and wiped some of his tears away. "It feels like I can't go on… without her." He said, sobbing. "We've been through so much. We were best friends, but more than best friends… at the same time…"

"Ash…" Professor Oak began. "Just always keep her close to you in your heart… I'm… I'm sure she loved you just as much as you love her, and she always will."

Ash wiped his tears again and then nodded. "I just think… that I want to take a break…for a while." Ash said.

Professor Oak nodded. "From training?" He asked.

Ash nodded back. "Yeah." He said. "Because of all of this and because of what happened at the championships… I don't feel up to it anymore."

Professor Oak's eyes widened. "Ash…" He began. "Don't worry about the championships, I'll work that out for you. You are the winner, you know, since she cheated."

Ash shook his head. "You don't have to do that." He said. "It doesn't matter now anyway."

Pikachu looked at Ash with a frown on his face. "Pika pi…"

Professor Oak frowned as well. "Well, everything is going to be settled out either way because of how big of a crime this is." He said. "But are you sure you don't want me to work things out with them personally so it gets done sooner?" He asked.

Ash nodded. "Yeah… I'm… I'm sure." He said. "But there is one thing you can do… if you want."

Professor Oak nodded. "What's that?" He asked.

Ash took out the five Pokeballs that were in Misty's bag and also took out the 5 that were on his belt. He then handed them to Professor Oak in both of his hands.

"Can you take care of our Pokemon for a while?" He asked.

Professor Oak looked down at the ten Pokeballs and then nodded. He already had many Pokemon to take care of, but Ash was like his son and he was close to Misty as well, so he decided to take them anyway.

"Sure." Professor Oak said. He took the Pokeballs from Ash and placed Ash's in one pocket and Misty's in the other.

Ash smiled to him weakly. "Thank you, Professor." He said. He let out more tears as he watched their Pokemon go.

Professor Oak smiled. "You're welcome." He said. "What about Pikachu and Togepi?"

Ash looked at them both with tears in his eyes. "No, they'll stay with me." He said. He thought about saying _"I would never give Pikachu up… Or Togepi…"_ But after losing Misty, he felt like anyone could be lost now, even himself.

Professor Oak looked at Ash in the eyes and put his hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay now?"

Ash laughed. "Well, I'll never be okay… But I think I need some time to myself." He said.

Professor Oak nodded. "Well, I'll leave you to yourself then." He said. He got up and then opened the door, turning back around to Ash when he did.

"You are going to the funeral tomorrow, right?" Professor Oak asked.

Ash's eyes widened. He didn't know it would be so soon, but he guessed that the autopsy that was required really didn't reveal much besides what was already visible from Misty's broken and bruised body.

His tears welled up again and then he nodded. "Of course." He said.

Professor Oak smiled at him. "Good. Hang in there." He said. He then left and walked down the stairs to be with Delia and Mimey.

As soon as Professor Oak was gone, Ash lied down next to Pikachu and Togepi on his bed, letting out a long sigh as the tears continued to fall. He couldn't stop crying.

"Misty…" Ash said to himself as he cried. "Why?... Why did this have to happen… so soon? So young?"

He then remembered that saying… "The good die young…" And thought about it… Perhaps now that Misty was gone, it was true? ...Perhaps their love was too good to be true, too much of a paradise and high for both of them... And that's why it ended so quickly? Ash had a lot on his mind, and he would think about it until tomorrow.

Ash continued to lay on his bed through the night. He couldn't fall asleep. All he did was kept Misty's belongings close to him, embraced Togepi and Pikachu, and repetitively read Misty's diary entries.

Afterall… It was the closest he could be to her, now.


	29. Letting Go

The next morning had already arrived and Ash still hadn't managed to fall asleep. Inside, he felt incredibly tired, but something was holding him back from ever falling asleep. That night, he had stared at the picture of him and Misty as well as the one of Misty and her family. He had read each diary entry several times.

Ash lied motionless on the bed as the sun rose. Pikachu and Togepi, unlike Ash, had fallen asleep. Ash wasn't crying… there were no more tears left to cry and he felt as if he didn't even have the energy to do so.

_I wonder when her funeral is…_ He thought.

While he lied there, he contemplated many things. He wondered what he was going to do without Misty. He knew that he could not return to training anytime soon and he thought that he would never feel up to traveling again like he used to. He couldn't just try and be his happy and cheerful self when the source of most of his happiness was now gone.

Noticing that there was nothing left for him now that his love was gone, Ash contemplated becoming a renegade. He knew he did have a lot to live for, but what did that matter when he didn't have the will to live for any of it because of Misty's death?

The only thing he did feel up to was lying there and being completely still, just thinking about everything. But doing so caused him pain because he remembered all of the great times with Misty and thought about how great their future could have been together, and now that all of that was gone, he felt as if he didn't want to be there anymore. Misty had been one of the things that kept him going… She was like the oxygen of his soul.

Ash figured he should probably start getting ready, since the funeral would probably be in the morning. He slowly got up, took a quick shower, and then got dressed into some nicer clothing; a pair of black pants, black shoes, and a button-down, long-sleeved, white shirt. Even though he was lethargic, he wanted to look his best for Misty.

"Ash… we're about to head out for the funeral." His mother called up to him.

Ash nodded, glad that he had gotten ready in time, and grabbed Misty's back, leaving his in his room. Pikachu jumped up onto Ash's shoulder, and Ash scooped up Togepi with his other arm. They then walked down the stairs, and they all made their way to the Viridian forest by Professor Oak's Jeep. The car ride was silent.

Once they arrived outside of the Viridian forest, they all walked into the forest and tried to find the exact location of where the funeral was being held.

Professor Oak looked over to Ash and Delia. "Misty's sisters said it would be on the west side of the river and it would be on the spot right where the forest begins from the city." He said.

Delia nodded. "Yeah, it's right over there." She pointed to a small group of people surrounding what looked like a flower bed that was near the bank of the river.

Once Ash, Professor Oak, and Delia made their way over there, Ash looked at the people. He saw Brock, Gary, Misty's sisters, Misty's good friend Sakura, and a few other people that he wasn't familiar with. There was a small podium near the flower bed, and the flower bed was covered up. _Maybe that's where she is…?_ Ash thought.

Ash walked over to Brock, while Professor Oak and Delia sat next to Gary on some fold up chairs that were set up in front of the podium.

Brock noticed Ash and walked up to him as well, giving him a hug. Ash, even though it was hard for him to since he had already so much, began to cry and Brock was crying as well.

"Ash…" Brock cried. "I'm so sorry…"

As the two friends embraced each other and thought about Misty, they also thought about the times they had all traveled together when they were younger. Misty and Brock had been Ash's first real best friends. They had been the ones that watched over him… They were the two people that he would always remember…

"I'm sorry too, Brock." Ash said, sobbing. He let go of the hug and smiled at Brock. "I'm glad you came… I'm… I'm sure Misty would be glad too."

Brock nodded. "I had to come… Misty was like my sister… and you guys are my best friends…" He said.

Ash cried even harder then. "We'll always be best friends!" He said, thinking about the years the trio had spent together.

Pikachu, who was of course, still on Ash's shoulder, smiled at this and nodded. "Pi pikachu." Pikachu said in agreement. Togepi also agreed, putting its hands in the air and ringing its name, even though it was still crying.

Misty's sisters walked up to Ash and Brock. Lily put her hand on Ash's shoulder comfortingly, while Violet put her's on Brock's. Daisy looked at both of them, smiling sadly. All of them were crying as well.

"Hi guys." Daisy said.

Ash looked at Misty's sisters and tried to wipe some of his tears away. "Hi…" He said sadly.

Daisy smiled at Ash. "You… were her boyfriend, right?" She asked.

Ash nodded slowly and started crying again.

"Misty… she talked about you all the time." She said.

Ash laughed at little and wiped his tears. "I love her… so much." He said sobbing.

Daisy nodded. "We… we know."

While the five of them were talking, Gary was looking over at them. He also had tears in his eyes… They were like Ash's.

Ash looked up at Daisy. "Why… did you decide to have it here?" He asked.

Daisy smiled at him again. "She would have wanted it here… because this is where you two met." She said.

Ash's tears welled up again and fell down his face as fast as the water flowing in the river nearby.

"Oh." Daisy said. "She would have wanted me to give you this… Maybe it'll cheer you up." Daisy then pulled something out of her pocket, holding it in her closed fist out to Ash.

Ash blinked and then took it from her. When she dropped it into his hand, he smiled.

It was a fishing hook, much like the one of herself that Misty had given to Ash when they had met up a few months after they had departed from one another. Only, this one was bigger and had both Ash and Misty on it, and they were standing next to each other, Misty blushing.

Ash laughed at it and held it tightly in his hand, then holding it to his heart and closing his eyes. _Misty… Thank you… _He thought.

Ash then opened his eyes again and smiled at Daisy. "Thanks..." He said.

Daisy nodded. "You're welcome." She said. "The viewing is going to start soon."

Ash and Brock nodded and then walked over to sit on the fold up chairs. Ash sat between Gary and Brock and Sakura was sitting next to Brock, the two talking about how great of a friend Misty was and how caring she was. When Ash looked at Gary, he noticed that Gary was crying just as hard as he was.

"Hi, Ash." Gary said, not looking at him but only looking at the covered flower bed.

Ash blinked. "Hi." _I wonder why he's crying so much? _He thought to himself. _Was he really that close to Misty?_

Gary then looked at Ash and smiled. "Misty… She was a beautiful person." He said, sniffing.

Ash blinked in surprise. "She is…" He said, crying. "Inside and out…"

Gary nodded with a smirk on his face. "You two were in love… Weren't you?" He asked.

Ash sniffed and wiped some of his tears. "Yes." He responded contently.

Gary chuckled a little and then looked at Ash, blushing. "You're very lucky." He said.

Ash blinked at Gary. "I know, she's a wonderful person… but what do you mean?" Ash asked.

Gary shook his head and got up from his seat. "Nevermind…" Gary said.

Ash blinked in confusion, then, Gary got up and walked toward the trees, leaning against one of them. He then covered his face with his hands, and wept. The suspected calm and collected Pokemon trainer opened himself… His shell cracking under the pressure.

"Misty…" Gary whispered to himself. "…I wish I could have told you how much you…meant to me."

Gary stood there for a few moments before the viewing began, thinking about his unrequited love. The thing he never wanted to show… The thing he never had the strength to show… Was that he was Ash's rival in more than one way.

Ash tried to put aside what happened with Gary and instead looked at the flower bed. There was a white sheet over it with blue raindrops printed on it.

Soon, Misty's sisters came up to the podium. They were organizing the funeral all by themselves, since their parents were gone and they didn't have much money. Daisy was the one in the middle, since she was the better speaker out of the three.

Gary walked over to the chairs and sat down next to Ash again, not saying a word, but still crying.

Daisy wiped a tear from her eye and then put her hands on the podium. "Um… Thank you all for coming out today… To pay our… last respects."

Everyone in the audience was now crying, even Misty's distant cousins who she barely even knew. As the ceremony began, Ash noticed that the sky was getting a little dark, and there was a rain could right above them, even though it had been so beautiful before.

Daisy smiled at everyone sadly. "Misty… she was a beautiful girl, even though us three always called her the runt of the Cerulean sisters…" She said, laughing remorsefully. "…And, most of all, she was a sweet girl who cared about all Pokemon and people, no matter how many shortcomings they had."

Ash smiled at Daisy's compliments while he cried and rubbed the hook that Misty had given him, while holding Togepi with his other hand.

Then, Daisy was about to break down, and it was noticeable in her voice.

Violet smiled at Daisy and rubbed her shoulder. "I'll take over." She said. Daisy then nodded and switched places with Violet. "Misty was a great sister, a loving friend and family member, and to one person in this audience, an endearing lover."

Ash's eyes widened and he looked up at Violet, who was looking right at him. He blushed at the statement, and his tears then fell down harder.

Soon, the rain cloud above had gotten so dense that it began to drizzle a little, the small drops falling down quickly like the tears of everyone in the audience.

Lily then wanted to switch places with Violet and now spoke. "And she was a great and powerful Pokemon trainer… Better than us three combined. She cared about her Pokemon very much." She said, looking at Togepi.

There then was a silent pause and all could be heard was the rain and the flowing of the river. Lily then smiled, figuring out what to say next before the viewing. "And… She loved everyone here very much… with all her heart." She said.

Daisy nodded and then switched places with Lily, wiping her tears. "So… if you'd all come up here and form a line… for the viewing." She said sobbing.

Ash didn't get up right then to go look at Misty. He figured that it would be best for him to go last because he would be there for a very long time. Gary also stayed behind while everyone else got up.

The three sisters then walked over to the flower bed and pulled off the sheet, revealing Misty so that everyone could see her for one last time before she was let go.

The sisters, Brock, and Sakura were at the end of the line because they also knew they would take a while. Everyone else in line looked down at Misty and said a message to her in their head while looking down at her lifeless body.

_Thank you for being such a great person and taking care of my son on your journeys, Misty. _Delia thought as she walked by the flower bed, holding Professor Oak's hand.

_Ash couldn't have made it this far without you…_Professor Oak thought as he walked by.

_You were a brat sometimes… but you were such a great sister…_ Violet thought, crying. She threw a violet on her. The three sisters were all holding hands while looking down at their youngest.

_I hope you didn't believe us when we said you were a runt… because you totally aren't, sis. _Lily thought, throwing a lily on her.

Daisy smiled at Misty sadly and then threw a daisy on her. _We will always remember and love you…_She thought. The three sisters then walked and stood a few feet away from the flower bed, standing near the river while everyone else walked by.

Brock and Sakura both walked up at the same time.

_Misty… you were a great friend and Pokemon trainer. Tracey said he wanted to come, but he couldn't because he is in Sinnoh now with his parents. I wish you and I could have spent more time together, because you're a really great person. _Sakura thought. She threw a cherry blossom on her and then walked away and sat back in her seat, leaving Brock on his own.

Brock looked down at Misty and his crying got more intense. _Misty… you were the greatest friend anyone could have. Whenever I felt down, you and Ash brightened me up. _

_You were a great Pokemon trainer… And you've grown up to be a really beautiful person, I'll admit. You're a great person… The only reason why I didn't try for you is because…I just feel better being friends and also because I know Ash loves you. Anyway… thank you for everything you've done for me. I'll always remember you and Ash. The days with you two were the best days of my life…_Brock smiled at Misty and wiped some of his tears away. He then bowed to her and slowly walked away, saying goodbye.

After everyone else was finished with the viewing they sat down. Then, Gary got up out of his seat, while Ash remained seated until he was finished.

Gary looked down at Misty, sobbing. He watched the raindrops fall upon her cheeks, and thought about how beautiful she was. _Misty… Even though we weren't incredibly close, you were a really good friend to me and you're a great Pokemon trainer. You're a really strong person too… I can't quite see how you put up with Ash all these years. _Gary laughed to himself. _But… what I really want to say... I… I really like you, Misty. I always have. You're a really good person and you're… really pretty. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I… I love you. I've loved you for a long time… I just didn't want to tell you because I was scared that you didn't feel the same way… Now I know that you love Ash, I know you don't, so yeah... _Gary's tears intensified. _Well… Goodbye, Misty. _Gary then walked off and sat back in his seat, crossing his arms and watching Ash.

Ash slowly walked up to the flower bed and looked down at Misty, when he saw her, his tears flowed stronger down his cheeks and he felt his legs get weak, breaking below him and causing him to fall down to the ground next to her.

"Misty!" Ash cried out loud.

Misty's skin, despite her previous bruising, looked totally pale, soft, and shiny like it usually did. Her face surprisingly looked the same, and her arms were crossed over her lower body. Her red hair was not in its usual ponytail, but was instead down and flowing beneath her head and neck. She looked thinner than usual because of the autopsy, but she looked pretty much perfectly intact. She was wearing a long-sleeved, light blue dress that flowed out and went down to her knees. Even though she was deceased, she looked incredibly beautiful. The flowerbed surrounding her was more like a raft, and there were sticks on the bottom of it and blue and white carnations glued to it, surrounding Misty like an ocean.

Ash put his hand on Misty's face while he looked at her and Pikachu and Togepi gathered around as well. Her skin was cold and soft, yet stiff at the same time. It was slightly wet from the rain. As Ash touched her, he cried more and more, not being able to bear the fact that she was dead. He then wrapped his arms around her, his face looking down at hers and his tears falling onto her eyes.

_Misty…_Ash thought. _I love you so much. Thank you for the little hook… it's really cute. Seeing you here like this is heart breaking. You were always so alive, bright, and energetic, and now it's all gone. This past month, as well as all of the time I spent with you while traveling, have been the best times of my life. You will always be in my heart, Misty... You have no idea how much I love you. And I always will love you. No one else will come near you… My heart is yours! _His tears came faster and faster, plopping onto Misty's face like the rain above.

"Ash… It's time to let Misty go…" Daisy said to him, wanting to move on with the ceremony. Ash had already been sitting there for at least 5 minutes.

Ash shook his head. "No! I don't want to let go!" He yelled at her.

Brock noticed what was going on at the front and got out of his seat to help Daisy. He bent down near Ash and put his hand on his shoulder. "I know it's hard, Ash… But we've got to continue." He said. "C'mon, get up."

Ash shook his head again. "No!" He screamed. "Leave me alone!"

Brock then gritted his teeth and grabbed Ash's arm, pulling him up. Ash struggled to stand up straight, and just looked down at Misty still.

"Look, Ash… We're all mourning over Misty…" He said. "C'mon, let's go stand by everyone else."

Ash solemnly nodded and looked at Misty one last time. _Don't worry, Misty… We'll be together soon…_Ash thought to himself. As Brock pulled him away and walked towards everyone else, Ash kept his eyes on her, the tears falling and falling. Pikachu and Togepi followed along.

Daisy nodded to her sisters and then the three of them gathered around the flower bed. 

"If you'd all come up here, Misty would have probably wanted to be put in the water at her funeral, so we're going to let her go in the river…" Daisy said.

Everyone slowly came up and gathered around, while Misty's sisters grabbed the flower bed, Violet and Lily on the end near Misty's feet and Daisy on the end near her head. They tried to pick her up, however, they weren't strong enough.

Ash noticed that they needed help and walked up to the flower bed, grabbing the side of the flower bed. He looked at Misty as they carried her to the edge of the river.

Soon, they lowered her down into the water, and she floated there for a few moments while Ash still held onto the raft. Her sisters had let go, but Ash was having a difficult time…

"I love you… Misty." Ash said softly. He then let the raft go, and Misty slowly floated downstream, the water carrying her to where she was destined to go.

As Ash watched her float away, the tears streamed down his face. Pikachu jumped onto his shoulder and Togepi tugged on Ash's leg, wanting to be picked up. Ash looked down at Togepi and smiled once Misty was out of sight, and picked the small egg Pokemon up, holding it to his chest and crying.

"Thank you all for coming…" Daisy said, wiping her tears away. "I'm sure Misty thanks you too."

Everyone then walked away from the bank of the river and towards their cars or where they had come from, saying goodbye to each other on the way out of the forest.

Ash didn't even move as everyone walked away, but instead just stood by the bank of the river, and then sitting down.

"Bye, Ash…" Daisy said to him as she took the podium, about to leave with her sisters.

Ash looked back at them. "…Bye." He said monotonously.

Brock then walked up to Ash and looked down at him. "Are you going to be okay?" He asked.

Ash nodded, but didn't say anything.

Brock nodded back. "Well, I have to get going. My sisters and brothers need me back in Pewter…" He said. "Just hang in there, okay?" He patted Ash's back.

Ash nodded. "See you later, Brock." He said.

Brock frowned. "Bye, Ash." He then walked away towards Pewter, occasionally looking back at the river that Misty floated down.

After Brock was finished talking with Ash, Professor Oak, Delia, and Gary walked up to him.

"Ash… We should get going back home… It looks like the weather is going to get worse." Delia said.

Ash didn't look at them. "I don't want to go back home now." He said, still crying.

Professor Oak frowned at Ash and then crossed his arms. "I know it's hard, Ash… But it's getting dangerous out here." Professor Oak said.

Pikachu tapped on Ash's arm and looked up at him worriedly. "Pika pi…" Pikachu called.

Ash looked at Pikachu. "I'm not leaving!" Ash said. "If you and Togepi want to go with Professor Oak, then go!"

Tears welled up in Pikachu's eyes when it noticed how upset Ash was. _Maybe it will be better if we leave him alone for a little while…_Pikachu thought.

Professor Oak looked at Pikachu and Togepi and then back at Ash. "Are you sure you want me to take them for now, Ash?"

Ash nodded. "Yes, just leave me alone!" He said.

Professor Oak nodded and bent over, picking up Togepi. Pikachu ran and jumped onto Delia's shoulder, looking at Ash with a sorrowful look on his face…_Cheer up, Ash…_Pikachu thought. _And come back home… _

Professor Oak turned around and began walking towards the Jeep. "Let's go…" He said.

"Come home soon, Ash." Delia said. "I love you."

Ash tried to wipe some of his tears away. "You too, Mom. Bye." Ash then paused and looked back at Pikachu. "Goodbye, Pikachu." As he said goodbye to now his only true companion left, Ash's tears intensified.

"Pika pi…" Pikachu cried.

Delia then followed Professor Oak and Gary looked at Ash for a few moments and then turned around and followed Delia and his Grandfather, not saying goodbye.

After everyone was gone, Ash was glad that he was alone. He felt bad for being so rude to Pikachu and Togepi, but he couldn't help it. He didn't want them around when he was like this, otherwise he might blow up at them or cause more drama.

After a few moments of sitting near the water, Ash got up and walked upstream, hoping to find the place where he and Misty had shared so many memories, where they had met and where they shared their first kiss. He knew that the funeral was held somewhere near that place, but he knew it wasn't that exact place. That's why he wanted to be alone, because he wanted to go to their special place. After all, that place had been somewhere that only they knew.


	30. Depths of the Heart

**Ah… Here it is... The final chapter, chapter 30.**

**Thank you all for sticking through all of this. It's been almost a year since I started writing this story, and I really enjoyed it. I know I couldn't have done it without all of you guys because you all gave me the encouragement to keep writing. **

**Even though this was enjoyable, holy cow. I'm so glad this is almost over. I'm glad I finished this before college starts, too. But, maybe after a month of a break or so, I will go into editing stage and add more hints, fix any errors, and clarify some things. **

**Let me also say that the reason why this story seemed plotless until like the last 10 chapters or so, or whatever, is because I was trying to work on really developing a strong bond between Ash and Misty before any of this happened so that it seemed logical… Then we had the loving, then the sex, and then finally, the sacrifice. That's just how I planned it out to be. I'll go in and add more plot when I edit though.**

**I also imagine that I might write an epilogue someday.**

**Thanks for reading and reviewing, everyone.**

**Special thanks goes out to my good friends Zach and Mario, as well as the most frequent/thorough reviewers of this story, Stinkoman, Raven, Neo Namco, epsilon, and emil… (sorry if I missed anyone. ;)**

**Hopefully, this last chapter will be the best chapter yet. So, sit back and enjoy (or not enjoy) the last chapter of Depths of the Heart. Hope you have some tissues.  
**

**-Kayla**

**_ Depths of the Heart _  
**

After a while of searching for his and Misty's special place, Ash finally found it. The land was more barren than the other parts of the forest, for some reason, and the fallen tree was still there.

Ash smiled and walked up to the fallen tree, sitting on it. He wasn't crying anymore because his eyes were shriveled up like prunes, and right then, he was far too sad to cry.

Right then, as he sat on that tree's rough surface and remembered how Ash and Misty confessed their love for one another there and shared their first kiss, Ash felt as though everything was falling away from him, much like the branches and the bark was sloughing off of the tree. His mind felt as empty and barren as the land… His heart as blue as the river.

Ash thought about life while he sat on that tree, and what it was all about. He knew that the best parts to life were accomplishing things and making progress, but what was that all for if there was no one there to praise you for it… Or love you for it? Misty had been the person who was always there for him. She was the fire in his winter… The sun in his spring… The rain in his summer… And the wind in his fall. She had been the only one who he felt completely supported by, and for that reason, amongst others, he loved her more than anyone and always would.

But… what could he do? Now that his source of support and praise was gone, Ash frankly had no desire to accomplish anything. He could no longer feel the warm feeling that he felt when he saw her smile at him… Or the soft sensation of her warm lips… Or how he felt like such a lucky person when he looked into her cerulean eyes. The only time he could even get close to experiencing any of these things again was in his dreams, which wasn't possible because he couldn't bring himself to fall asleep.

Ash looked at the hook that Misty had given him and frowned at it. He wished that he would have told her about his feelings sooner, instead of just trying to keep them bottled up inside and stuffed away so he could pay attention to training. Because even though he loved Misty with all his heart and knew that his feelings were sincere before she died, he really didn't know what he had and exactly how much she meant to him until she was gone.

Ash then looked at the river… He admired how flowing, deep, blue, and cold that river was. He remembered when he and Misty had swam in that river. That river is what brought them together… where they met. And for that reason, he loved his place… It was his favorite place on earth, more dear to him than his home and more meaningful to him than the Indigo Plateau.

Ash then thought about all of his other friends… The Pokemon and people in his life. It seemed to him that they didn't matter too much anymore now that the most important person in his life was now gone. He thought about how they might feel if he were to die. He knew they would probably feel sad, but that they would just move on… That they would just leave the funeral and attend to their usual lives like they did with Misty… That they would just eventually let him float away into the vast ocean like they had done with Misty…

He thought about Pikachu… And Togepi. While Ash loved both of them very much, especially Pikachu… Pikachu… All the times that Ash had spent since he became a Pokemon trainer were spent with Pikachu. Pikachu was his best friend, as well as his best and strongest companion. He didn't ever want to leave Pikachu, but he didn't really feel up to being with Pikachu anymore. Afterall, Pikachu made him happy, almost as much as Misty made him happy… But now that Misty was gone, and especially that she was gone for his sake, Ash felt like he didn't deserve to be happy. He couldn't allow himself to feel happy, even if he could feel happy anyway.

He then pondered upon what their futures would have been like together. He imagined that it would be very happy, with occasional drama, due to their sometimes opposing viewpoints of course. But, he imagined that he would have kept striving to be the number one trainer, and Misty would be there to root him on, and Misty would keep striving to be the best water Pokemon expert, and Ash would be there, rooting her on. He imagined that they would have kept going and exploring their love for one another. He then wondered if Misty actually was pregnant or not... Even if she had been though, and she was still there with him, he wouldn't have minded it, as long as it was with _her. _He tried to imagine how beautiful their child would have been… With fair colored skin, most probably hazel eyes, and auburn colored hair…

He imagined them probably getting married sometime in the future, and having many children. He imagined them growing old with one another, and learning the ways of life with one another. He then imagined them dying with one another… And he then realized that death happens to everyone, even the best of people, like Misty.

He realized that death would happen to him someday as well… Right then, he noticed that in a way, he kind of wished for death. The epiphany that pretty much all of the pulchritude and incandescence was gone from his now pathetic life struck upon him as quickly as death had struck upon Misty… As quick as their physical relationship went from a climax to a zero static.

After thinking about everything… All Ash wanted to do then was sleep. He wanted more than anything to dream about Misty, but what he was afraid of was waking back up and being without her, returning to the same old dark world that he was in now.

That's what he wanted to do… He wanted to fall asleep… and never wake up.

Ash slowly got up from the fallen tree and walked towards the river bank. _Maybe being in the water will help me get to sleep…_Ash thought.

Ash looked at the clear water and smiled at it, seeing his reflection. Ash then gasped… For a moment, he saw Misty's reflection as well… And she was standing in the water ahead of him, smiling at him.

_Misty… I want to be where you are…_Ash whispered. He slowly stepped into the river and walked towards Misty's reflection. Once he got there, the reflection slowly disappeared and Ash sluggishly descended into the water, floating on the surface.

The movement of the river felt so good as it brushed through his hair and the tickle of the water flowing over his skin saturated him with serenity. The raindrops from above still fell, hitting his face like small kisses and rippling the water around him like echoes. Ash then sighed and closed his eyes, feeling extremely tired as he floated down the river.

_Goodbye, everyone…_He thought to himself as he drifted. _Goodbye, Pikachu…_

Ash soon fell asleep in the river while he dreamt of Misty and the journeys that they had together. He dreamt of the past and the future in his deep sleep and he was perfectly satisfied with the fact that he would always be dreaming of Misty and that he would be close to her now, never having to return.

And with that, the water around him soon immersed him and rushed over his body and face, filling his nostrils as he was in his heavenly unconsciousness. He eventually sank down into the depths of that same, special river…Down into the depths of his heart.


End file.
